I’m A Celebrity contestant Barry McGuigan has spoken about the enduring pain of losing his daughter, Danika "Nika" McGuigan, who passed away in 2019.
The former boxing champion has arrived in Australia ahead of his appearance on the ITV reality show but says he will never “come to terms” with her death.
Nika, the only daughter of Barry and his wife Sandra, died in July 2019 at the age of 33, just one month after being diagnosed with cancer. The couple also shares three sons. Nika had previously overcome acute lymphoid leukaemia as a child, undergoing two years of treatment after being diagnosed at 11. She later pursued a career in acting, appearing in notable projects such as Jim Sheridan’s The Secret Scripture alongside Rooney Mara and Jack Reynor.
Tragically, Nika’s life was cut short when the disease returned. On the fourth anniversary of her passing earlier this year, Barry, now 63, marked the day on social media, writing: “It’s hard to believe that it’s four years today, Nika, since your passing. Don’t think we will ever come to terms with it. We love and miss you every day.”
The family, “devastated” by her death, shared the heartbreaking news in 2019, reports the Mirror, saying in a statement: “It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our beautiful daughter and sister, Danika ‘Nika’ McGuigan. After a brief but brave battle against cancer, Nika passed away peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday, 23 July, surrounded by her loving family. As a family, we are devastated and ask for complete privacy during this difficult period to allow us to grieve for our Nika.”
In 2021, Barry opened up about his loss, describing how difficult it has been to navigate life without her. “I lost my daughter two years ago, and it’s been shocking. I’ll never recover from it,” he told Belfast Live. “My life will go on, but I’ll never be the same because family means everything to me.”
Barry also reflected on Nika’s resilience, recalling how she overcame significant challenges throughout her life, including childhood fever convulsions that nearly claimed her life and her initial battle with leukaemia. “She was such a great kid. She had a tough life all her life,” he said. “I get very upset about it. I try my best not to. I think, ‘I don’t want to cry again.’ But, yeah, tough. Very tough.”
Barry McGuigan will make his I’m A Celebrity debut on Sunday night, joining a lineup that includes distant relative Coleen Rooney.
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