Barry McGuigan Has Opened Up About Losing His Daughter To Cancer On I’m A Celeb

Speaking about his grief with his jungle campmates, Barry McGuigan explained that his daughter suffered with leukaemia when she was 11 years old and recovered after two years of treatment.

'She had leukaemia, when I was making the movie The Boxer with Daniel Day Lewis, three weeks from the end I had to leave because she'd been diagnosed with leukaemia, they thought she wasn't going to get better but she fought back and she won it,' he said. 'She had two years of chemo, she was good, she came back.'

In 2019, when Danika was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, Barry said 'it was hard for weeks in the hospital, just watching, shocking'.

Danika, known as 'Nika', was an actress best known for her role as Danielle Mullane in Can't Cope, Won't Cope. She also acted in Philomena, starring Judy Dench, and The Secret Scripture and Wildfire.

Apparently, Danika had initially suffered stomach pains while making the thriller Wildfire. She died five weeks after her diagnosis. In the jungle, Barry recalled the pain she suffered during that time and her final words, 'Mum, I can't hold on', which prompted his campmates to burst into tears.

For her role in Wildfire, she posthumously won Best Lead Actress at the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) Film & Drama Awards.

Following Danika's death, Wildfire had its Irish premiere at Barry McGuigan Park in the Co Monaghan town of Clones, with the sportsman describing it as 'a fitting tribute' to his daughter.

He said: 'Our hearts are broken that Nika is not here to see the success of her last performance but my family and I are comforted to see it on the big screen with our friends, family and the community in Clones.

'It is a fitting tribute to her legacy and exceptional talent. My sincere thanks to Wildcard Distribution, the amazing volunteers in Clones Film Festival and the support of all in Monaghan County Council.'

Does Barry McGuigan have other children?

Nika was the second of Barry's four children. The Irish boxer and his wife Sandra have three surviving sons – Shane, Jake and Blane. They currently live in Whitstable in Kent and are both patrons for the children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

What is Rett Syndrome?

Barry was comforted by his fellow celebrities, including Tulisa Contostavlos and Coleen Rooney. 'You're a man going through pain and you're vulnerable about it, that takes strength,' Tulisa offered. 'There is no rules to grieving... it's a reflection of your love.'

Later in the episode, Coleen opened up about the death of her sister Rosie McLoughlin. 'She was 14 when she died, she'd be 26 now,' she said. 'It's hard to lose a child, I've always said that... so we're lucky to have what we've got.'

Coleen's sister Rosie had a rare genetic disorder called Rett syndrome. It is a rare neurological disorder that causes profound physical and communication disabilities. It affects around one in 10,000 girls born each year and rarely occurs in boys.

She said, 'I don't usually get worked up, it takes me a lot. Even when Rosie died, I kept it together for me mum and dad. When you're away and in different environments, it's when you stop.'

At the time of her death, Coleen shared the news with fans on Twitter (now X). 'We are absolutely heartbroken to have lost our angel Rosie.

‘So glad we ended our holiday short, due to her deteriorating & we was able to spend the last few days together with her and our family! Sleep tight Rosie Mc x. We love you more than words can say x.’

Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, covering pop culture, TV, news and features.