In a startling revelation on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Jack Osbourne has detailed the dangerous and complicated history of his family, centred on his late grandfather, the notorious music manager Don Arden.
The Mobster Grandfather
Jack, the 40-year-old TV personality, told his campmates that his maternal grandfather, Don Arden, was a fearsome figure in the music industry who was not to be messed with. Don, who died in 2007, was the father of Jack's mother, Sharon Osbourne.
The family feud ignited in 1979 when Sharon took over managing her future husband, Ozzy Osbourne, after he was fired from Black Sabbath. This move enraged Don, who saw his daughter as his protégé.
Hitmen and Firebombs
Jack described the extreme lengths his grandfather went to in retaliation. "He sent hitmen after them," Jack revealed to his fellow celebrities. "Mobsters would show up with guns at gigs."
He went on to explain that Don had orchestrated a system to protect himself legally. "He had my mum sign all these documents and everything was in her name so he would never get in trouble," Jack said, adding that they would "firebomb other record companies." This ruthless behaviour was why his grandfather "knew the Krays," the infamous London gangsters.
Campmate Confirms Violent Rumours
Campmate Kelly Brook then interjected, admitting she had heard a rumour that Don Arden used to dangle bands out of windows to force them to sign with him. Jack confirmed the story was true, stating plainly, "He pulled guns on people, everything."
Jack also disclosed that Sharon eventually discovered her father had been stealing money from the bands he managed. The fallout was severe. "After she left and took management of my dad, they took them to court," he explained. "They had to essentially pay him a million dollars to break the contract."
A Grandfather Kept Secret
Perhaps the most personal revelation was why Jack never met his grandfather until he was 17 years old. "My mum actually told me he was dead," Jack admitted, highlighting the depth of the estrangement and the protective measures his mother took.
In a lighter moment from the same episode, featured on the ITV2 show I'm A Celeb Unpacked, Jack confessed to lying to producers about his fears. He told host Joel Dommett that he had refused to reveal his true phobias, instead claiming to be scared of green ants to avoid facing them in Bushtucker Trials.
I'm A Celebrity continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
