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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Nuray Bulbul

Who is Dean McCullough? Meet the Radio 1 DJ and I'm A Celeb campmate

BBC Radio 1’s Dean McCullough has swapped the radio for TV as he is one of the celebrities competing in the I’m A Celebrity jungle.

As a relatively low-profile celebrity, some fans of the show may have some questions: how exactly did McCullough become famous, where is he from, and what were some of his final words before entering the jungle?

Here’s what we know.

Where is Dean McCullough from?

Dean McCullough was born in Newtownabbey, in the south-east of County Antrim, in Northern Ireland.

How did Dean McCullough become famous?

McCullough’s career in presenting started when he volunteered for Wandsworth Radio.

This was followed by his first official presenting job, alongside Emma Goswell, on Gaydio. They discussed contemporary LGBTQ+ topics on their show. Goswell and McCullough went on to host the Gaydio breakfast show until 2021.

McCullough got his big break when he covered Clara Amfo on BBC Radio 1 for two days in December 2020. In March 2021, he came back to present the Friday early breakfast show for five more weeks.

He started anchoring Radio 1's late morning weekday in September 2021, taking over from Jordan North, later co-hosting the early afternoon slot with Vicky Hawkesworth, in place of Scott Mills and Chris Stark, in 2022.

McCullough made his debut TV appearance in 2015 with Thomas King in Young Free and Single: Live, which aired on E4 for one series only.

The 32-year-old has also made frequent appearances on Big Brother: Late & Live since 2023.

What has Dean McCullough said about entering the I’m A Celeb jungle?

Speaking about his phobias, McCullough said: “I am terrified of everything – snakes, green flies, being suspended off a cliff – it’s all torturous. Don’t tell Ant and Dec but I don’t like being confined in tight spaces either!”

In terms of his best and worst attributes, he added: “I’d like to think I will bring lots of good vibes. Worst? I am known to wake up in the middle of the night.”

During his time at the jungle, he would like to be “A friendly shoulder to cry on and bringing some positive vibes to proceedings. I’m also happy to be the camp cleaner every day”.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs on weekdays and Sunday at 9pm on ITV.

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