I’m a Celebrity star Barry McGuigan has become a favourite to win after viewers praised his openness in talking about the death of his daughter.
The 63-year-old former boxing champion is one of a handful of celebrities who entered the Australian jungle over the weekend, to take part in a series of gruelling challenges.
While the show’s launch saw the stars drink gruesome cocktails and skydive out of helicopters, the latest episode saw more reflective conversations taking place as the group bonded.
“I used to go to church a lot but after my daughter… you know, not so much,” the former boxer replied to Irish radio presenter Dean McCullough who asked if McGuigan went to church.
“She had leukaemia, when I was making The Boxer with Daniel Day-Lewis, three weeks from the end I had to leave because she’d been diagnosed with leukaemia.
“They thought she wasn’t going to get better but she fought back and she won it. She had two years of chemo.”
McGuigan’s only daughter Danika died in July 2019, aged 33. She recovered from leukaemia after being diagnosed at the age of 11, but she was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2019, and died within five weeks.
Fans and fellow campmates praised the star for his vulnerability, with N-Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos commending his “strength”.
“I’ve tried to talk about it but no matter what I do, it just all comes back,” McGuigan said in tears.
“Barry McGuigan must be one of the most genuine and modest blokes in the world,” wrote one viewer.
“I want Barry McGuigan for the win,” said another on X/Twitter.
Others praised the former sportsman for his openness, praising his “strength” and “courage”.
“The chat about grief,” began one viewer. “We honestly do not talk enough about it. Major props to Barry McGuigan for sharing and being so openly vulnerable. Tulisa’s right — it takes strength.”
The boxer, who previously told Belfast Live, “I’ll never recover from it,” broke down in tears as his fellow contestants McFly singer Danny Jones and N-Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos rallied together to console him.
He told Loose Women host Jane Moore that his daughter, who was filming at the time, had “pains in her tummy but she was making the movie, she put it off and went to the doctor, called us all in. Stage 4 bowel cancer, 5 weeks, 5 weeks she died.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
