Former EastEnders actress Shona McGarty has unequivocally dismissed swirling rumours of a romance with her I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! campmate, rapper Aitch, branding the speculation "rubbish".
The 34-year-old, who secured third place in the recent ITV reality series, addressed the claims directly during an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine.
McGarty clarified her relationship with Aitch, 25, whose real name is Harrison Armstrong, stating: "I mean, I’m like over 10 years older than him, and also honestly the rumours are rubbish. He is like my little brother, I was like his older sister, and we just had the same energy level, we were just hyper and silly, and that’s why we got on."
Her jungle journey saw her finish behind runner-up Tom Read Wilson, known from Celebs Go Dating, and the eventual King Of The Jungle, YouTube star Angryginge, whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle.
Beyond the romance speculation, McGarty revealed that this year’s contestants have already formed a close-knit WhatsApp group, cementing their bond outside the jungle. She affectionately referred to her fellow campmates as "best friends".
"We’re all going to keep in touch, and I think that’s just what’s so beautiful about this experience, is that you do make friends for life," she shared.
The actress admitted that while she initially doubted the common sentiment that contestants become "a big family," she now wholeheartedly believes "it’s really true, these are my family now."
During her interview with presenter Lorraine Kelly, McGarty also shed light on her distinctive yodelling, a skill that became a talking point during her time in the camp.
"Yodelling is something I do at home, it’s something I learned during lockdown, I got a book and a CD and just decided to learn it, it’s a little bit of a party trick," she explained.
Looking ahead, the actress, who has previously lent her voice to charity records, expressed a keen interest in moving into presenting upon her return to the UK, adding that she ultimately desires to pursue "a bit of everything" in her career.
In her exit interview on Sunday, McGarty said: “My anxiety has been up and down for as long as I can remember, but in here, I’ve learned a lot about myself, and I feel like it’s been a bit of a healing process for me.”
