Sydney (Dec 7, 2009) : Two contestants in the British reality television show I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! face animal cruelty charges after allegedly killing and cooking a rat to eat during filming in Australia, news reports said Monday.

Chef Gino D'Acampo and actor Stuart Manning were ordered to appear in court in Murwillumbah in New South Wales.

A police spokesman said the court appearance orders were for Feb 3.

The British Broadcasting Corp quoted Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) spokesman David O'Shannesy saying the complaint was made to police because the rat was killed for entertainment value.

"The killing of a rat for a performance is not acceptable," he said. "The concern is, this was done purely for the cameras."