Barry McGuigan, the former world boxing champion, won the hearts of the nation during his appearance on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2024. Despite his popularity, McGuigan has revealed that he is unlikely to return for an All Stars reunion, which airs its live final on Friday.
A Challenging Experience
Reflecting on his time in the jungle, McGuigan admitted, "I enjoyed it, but would I do it again? Probably not." The 65-year-old described the experience as "phenomenal" but noted the physical toll it took on him. "I was starving the whole way through - genuinely really hungry, and if we mucked up our trails, we didn't get food, so that happened several times," he said. McGuigan lost a stone and a half during his stint in the jungle. He also humorously remarked on his performance in tasks: "I was just rubbish, and I couldn't see."
Friendships Formed in the Jungle
McGuigan spoke fondly of the bonds he formed with his campmates, including Danny Jones, who went on to win the series, Melvin Odoom, and Alan Halsall. "I made a lot of friends, and they were all a great bunch of people. Danny in particular, Melvin is a great fella, and Alan from Coronation Street is a fabulous lad as well," he said.
Life Beyond the Jungle
McGuigan's life has been marked by both triumph and tragedy. In 1982, he tragically killed Nigerian boxer Young Ali during a fight. Reflecting on that night, McGuigan said, "I killed that young man that night. I will never forget it - it was a terrible fight." He noted that the lack of medical personnel at ringside at the time led to changes in boxing safety protocols.
More recently, McGuigan's daughter Danika was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at age 11 but recovered after two years of treatment. However, she later died from bowel cancer at the age of 33. McGuigan credited actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who portrayed him in the 1998 film The Boxer, with inspiring Danika to become an actress. "She watched how Daniel went through the process and she loved him. She became an actress because of that," McGuigan said, holding back tears.
