Barry McGuigan left in tears as he opens up about daughter’s death on GMB

Former boxing champion Barry McGuigan became emotional as he emphasized the significance of discussing his sorrow after sharing the story of his daughter's passing on the show I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

While in the Australian jungle, Irish celebrity McGuigan expressed his feelings to his fellow campmates as he shared the heartbreaking story of his daughter, Danika "Nika" McGuigan. She passed away at the age of 33, just five weeks after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2019.

The actress from Dublin, known for her role as Danielle in the BBC Three comedy Can't Cope, Won't Cope, triumphed over leukemia after undergoing two years of treatment, having been diagnosed when she was just 11 years old.

After leaving the ITV reality show, McGuigan spoke to Good Morning Britain (GMB) on Friday and described his daughter's passing as "the most heartbreaking experience of my life."

An emotional McGuigan, 63, shared, “It was terrible to lose my daughter five years ago, and it’s something my wife and I have never fully healed from. However, I’m starting to feel a bit better as time passes.”

"I used to find it really hard to talk about this, but I realize now that it's crucial for me to open up. I believe she's listening somewhere."

McGuigan shown alongside his deceased daughter Danika.

Her life was incredibly tragic, especially during a pivotal period when everything seemed to be going well for her. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with cancer, and she ultimately lost her battle with it.

"Sandy, my wife, and I have never truly moved past it. I doubt we ever will, but as time goes on, we learn how to cope with it."

Prior to her passing, Danika had appeared in the movie Wildfire, which garnered positive reviews following its global debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2020. Unfortunately, she did not live to witness its release.

Former boxer McGuigan mentioned that during his time in the jungle, he found himself discussing his feelings of grief openly, as the contestants had little else to do but talk when they weren't facing challenges. However, he still struggles to talk about his loss.

"I get emotional every time I mention it, and some people tell me to move on. But when you care for someone as deeply as I cared for her, it feels nearly impossible to do so," he shared.

"I do my best to manage, and I believe that with time, things will improve. However, losing her was incredibly heartbreaking and painful, making it really difficult to deal with."

The athlete seen alongside GMB presenters Rob Rinder and Kate Garraway.

On Thursday's show, it was revealed that McGuigan and Love Island star Maura Higgins were the most recent contestants to be eliminated from I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

While on the show, the ex-boxer formed a strong bond with Danny Jones from McFly, who has referred to McGuigan as a "fatherly influence."

When talking about his connection with Jones, he remarked, “He’s the same age as my son, and we clicked perfectly.”

"He's a wonderful young man, and I hold him in high regard. He's got a great sense of humor and is exceptionally gifted. His falsetto voice is the finest I've ever encountered."

“He’s an incredibly giving and considerate guy. I really hope he comes out on top as the king of the jungle.”

McGuigan expressed that it felt “amazing” to be out of the jungle, yet he described his time on the show as “one of the most incredible experiences” of his life.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is still airing on ITV1 and ITVX at 9 PM.