Former professional boxer Barry McGuigan revealed he was scared about heading into the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! camp after “what happened” to his daughter.
Actress Danika McGuigan died aged 33 in 2019, just five weeks after she was diagnosed with bowel cancer. She starred in the comedy-drama TV series Can't Cope, Won't Cope and a host of films.
In an emotional discussion with his fellow I’m A Celeb campmates, Barry, 63, revealed Danika first overcame cancer aged 11, being diagnosed with leukaemia. He said she underwent two years of chemotherapy as medics feared she wouldn’t make it.
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Barry was filming The Boxer with Daniel Day-Lewis in Dublin at the time of the diagnosis. He told campmates: “It was hard for weeks in the hospital, just watching, shocking”.
He said he “dropped everything” at the time and flew back home to England. It led to the former boxing champion vowing never to spend a night away from his family again.
Speaking to The Times, he said: “After what happened to Nika, I never stayed away ever again. I always wanted to be in my own bed, to be there if anything happened.”
He says it was a feeling that never left him. Danika’s death had a profound effect on the boxer, who has her face tattooed onto his arm.
He added: “That was the single biggest disaster in our lives. I don’t know how long God will spare us but we will never, ever recover from the devastation of losing that child.
“I would give up anything to reverse that. But I know it’s not possible. So, we go on and in many ways I owe it to her to go on, to be successful and help the boys be successful.”
Barry was supported by I’m A Celebrity campmates after he opened up about Danika’s cancer battles on the show. N-dubz star Tulisa Constosavlos said: “You're a man going through pain and you're vulnerable about it, that takes strength. There are no rules to grieving... it's a reflection of your love.”
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! continues at 9pm on ITV One tonight.
English (United States) ·