When NBC's "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" debuts June 1, it will have the tallest reality-show contestant so far.

It almost had the most controversial, but a judge banned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich from leaving the country. "I'd deluded myself into ... thinking I could be a modern-day Teddy Roosevelt, going down to the jungle," Blagojevich said today.

With that move blocked, only seven of the 10 contestants have been verified for the show, which has people trying to survive in the Costa Rican jungle. Announced Friday:

— John Salley, a 7-footer who is a sports commentator and former pro basketball player.

— Tori Wilson, a pro wrestler. "I definitely think being an athlete will be an advantage," she said. "And if Janice (Dickinson) gets out of line, I have no doubt I will tackle her and put her in a sleeper hold."

— Dickinson, a former supermodel who has done several reality shows, including the British version of this show. "I practically won it," she said.

— Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, the couple from "The Hills" on MTV — which will air the show after NBC does.

— Sanjaya Malakar, the former "American Idol" contestant.

— Stephen Baldwin, the actor who has become a reality and game-show veteran, via "The Mole," "The Apprentice," "Fear Factor," "Hollywood Squares," "Celebrity Blackjack" and "Celebrity Bullriding Challenge."

Many of those had been rumored, along with three others — Geraldo Rivera, Duane Chapman (of "Dog the Bounty Hunter") and Blagojevich. Producers said the final three contestants will be announced next week.

Blagojevich said he isn't sure if he'll be involved with the show now, other than to help promote it. "At this point, I'm looking for a new line of work." After being arrested on federal corruption charges, he was impeached by the Illinois House and unanimously removed from office by the Illinois State Senate.

Show-business is a possibility, he said. "When I was governor of Illinois, my second-favorite governor was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now ... he's my first-favorite. I guess this is a reverse form of his career."

The show will air live on Mondays through Thursdays, through June 22, with viewers choosing a "King (or Queen) of the Jungle."

A 2003 version on ABC had less-controversial celebrities, with Cris Judd and Melissa Rivers finishing first and second. It died in the ratings, but producers insist they are now better at this — through eight editions of the British show — and Americans are now more interested in celebrities.

Malakar said that interest was obvious the first time he was mobbed by cheerleaders.

Wilson had a similar view: "The moment I realized I had celebrity status was when I walked into the arena and heard 15,000 people shouting my name."