Here’s a clear rundown of the main contestants on ITV’s new reality show The Summit (UK version airing in early 2026), plus some extra context on what they’re in for.

Who the contestants are

ITV’s The Summit brings together a group of strangers who must hike to the top of one of New Zealand’s tallest mountains within a strict time limit, carrying prize money on their backs and making ruthless decisions along the way.

Some of the key contestants highlighted so far include:

  • Afton (often reported as Afton/Aft) – 24-year-old pageant and fitness coach, daughter of Gillian McKeith from I’m A Celebrity ; she’s competed for Miss England and says she’s doing the show to push herself out of her comfort zone and “ground” herself.
  • Charlett – 38-year-old pole fitness instructor from Wiltshire, presented as physically strong and used to pushing her limits.
  • Jenny – 46-year-old in sales and marketing , framed as someone with life experience and people skills that might help in alliance-building on the mountain.
  • Dockers – Known by his nickname, presented as a big character within the group; he’s already become a talking point in early previews and interviews.
  • Joel – Another of the core cast, positioned as a competitive, game-aware player who’s likely to lean into the strategic side of eliminations and money decisions.
  • Drew – Shown as one of the physically capable contestants, ready to take on the rough terrain and long trekking days.
  • Colleen – Included in line-up rundowns as part of the main cast, bringing more age diversity and interpersonal dynamics to the group.
  • Miranda – A contestant who’s been open about past struggles and says she has “grit”; she’s also afraid of heights, which is a major psychological hurdle in a mountain show like this.

Early coverage also highlights that the line-up includes people from very different walks of life (from fitness and pageants to everyday jobs in sales and marketing), which is designed to create friction, alliances and emotional storylines as they climb.

In short, the cast mixes fitness types, big personalities, and more everyday workers , all thrown together on a harsh New Zealand mountain with money and eliminations hanging over every decision.

How the show works (quick context)

  • A group of strangers start at the base of a New Zealand mountain with a shared prize pot in their backpacks.
  • They must reach the summit within a limited number of days, tackling tough weather, steep climbs, and camp-style living.
  • Along the way, there are gameplay twists : people can be eliminated, money can be lost or reallocated, and group decisions can turn brutal when the pace slows.

This format has already been used in the Australian and US versions of The Summit , where casts included everyone from nurses and former pro athletes to horse trainers and technical directors, all fighting over a large prize pot.

Forum / “trending topic” angle

On forums and social chatter, the early talking points about the ITV cast are:

  • Curiosity about Afton as a “nepo baby” type link to Gillian McKeith.
  • Speculation that Charlett and other fitness-focused contestants will dominate the physical side but might clash with more strategic players.
  • Interest in how someone like Miranda , who admits to a fear of heights, will cope when facing exposed ridges and big drops.

Given that the show is new for ITV in 2026, you can expect more detailed profiles, exit interviews, and fan-ranking threads to keep popping up as episodes air and eliminations start to bite.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.