Daniel McKee, one of the pioneering gay participants from Married At First Sight UK, has been left with serious injuries including a collapsed lung after a violent mugging while on holiday in Mexico.
Holiday Horror in Mexico
The 30-year-old reality TV personality, who found love with Matt Jameson on the E4 show in 2021, was brutally assaulted during his travels in South America. The incident occurred just before Christmas, forcing McKee to cut his trip short and fly back home to Northern Ireland for treatment and recovery.
Taking to Instagram, McKee shared shocking images of his injuries with his followers. In one photo, he posed shirtless holding a cup of tea, using the caption to explain the ordeal. "I got mugged in Mexico," he wrote. He admitted that the attackers failed to steal anything because he fought back, but he strongly warned others against following his example. "...which in hindsight you should NEVER EVER do as I got hurt," he added.
Serious Medical Consequences
In a subsequent post, the star detailed the extent of the physical damage caused by the assault. He revealed he was suffering from a "wee tear" in his lung, medically known as a small pneumothorax or collapsed lung, alongside very sore ribs.
Despite the severe pain, which he said is excruciating when he laughs, McKee ended his update on a characteristically positive note. "But I am grand. Merry Christmas," he told his concerned fans, showing resilience in the face of the traumatic event.
Life After MAFS UK
The mugging incident comes several years after McKee's memorable stint on the hit reality show. He and Matt Jameson made history as the programme's first-ever gay couple, marrying at first sight in 2021. Their relationship lasted for two years before they announced their split in December 2022.
In a past interview with The Mirror, Matt Jameson opened up about the difficulty of transitioning from a romantic partnership to a friendship after such an intense experience. He described the relationship as a "fast track" romance that felt like four or five years compressed into two, owing to the unique pressures of the show. Jameson explained that he needed a period of no contact to heal from the heartbreak, expressing hope that a friendship might be possible in the future.
Daniel McKee is now recuperating in Northern Ireland following the attack. His brave social media posts have highlighted the very real dangers tourists can face, even as he maintains his trademark upbeat outlook.
