Inside I'm A Celeb's Danny Jones' strained relationship with his dad he hasn't spoken to in 18 years

McFly's Danny Jones has been estranged from his father Alan for nearly two decades, and the singer has admitted that he still harbours 'anger' towards him every Father's Day

I'm A Celebrity's Danny Jones shared a deeply personal revelation about finding a paternal presence in campmate Barry McGuigan and the reason why.

Amidst their time in the jungle, an extraordinary connection blossomed between them, leading the 38-year-old McFly frontman to tell the boxing legend: "And I've also found a dad." Estranged from his father Alan for nearly two decades after he left the family, Danny has yet to reconcile or visit him in Spain, where he now resides.

The vocalist confided that as a child he revered his father, but the admiration turned to hurt when Alan separated from his mother Kathy amid McFly's rise to fame. At the tender age of 19 faced with his dad's absence, Danny sought counselling to combat anxiety. The star opened up, saying: "I had a massive bout of anxiety when I was 19 when my dad left.

"I feel sorry for any kid out there whose mum and dad have split up. It's their responsibility, they chose to have the kids, so they've got to be adult about it and stay in touch. It's hard for a child because you crave that and you miss it, but I feel like I've become way more of a man than I'd ever be before because I've learned a lot from it, I've achieved so much and it's made me hungrier and not scared of stuff, I've become stronger."

The guitarist has opened up about the lingering 'anger' he feels every Father's Day, admitting that he no longer has a relationship with his father. He shared his past struggles, saying: "When I've seen my mum in so much pain, it was hard, reports OK!. I wish I knew what I knew now, to have a chat with him at the time. But I was a peacemaker, an absolute peacemaker.

"I was scared of emotion, I was scared of talking real talk because I wanted everything to be perfect, if they argued I was like 'no, be quiet.' What I try and teach my son now is that emotions are okay, show me your emotions I want to feel it, because that is the best way of solving anything."

Danny, who is joyfully married to former Miss England Georgia Horsley, 37, and dad to their six year old son Cooper, did not invite his father to their 2014 wedding, and his dad has yet to meet his grandson. Speaking on the White Wine Question Time podcast in 2022, he further expressed: "On Father's Day I'm angry that's getting in the way of me having a good time with my family and my son. I idolised him, and my mum, they're my first people I looked up to."

Meanwhile, last month, Danny's estranged father broke his silence regarding their long-standing rift, attributing the strained relationship to his acrimonious divorce from Danny's mother Kathy. Despite the fallout, he spoke fondly of Danny to the Daily Mail, calling him a 'lovely lad' with a 'heart of gold', and reminisced about their 'excellent' bond during Danny's childhood in Bolton, highlighting his own dedication to Danny's burgeoning music career.

Radio DJ Alan, who currently resides in Benidorm with his wife Sharon, remains hopeful that he will meet his grandson one day, saying "one day it will happen" and he'll "finally get that pint with his son."

However, since relocating to Spain in 2016, Alan has not been visited by his son Danny, and he was also absent from his daughter Vicky's wedding last year. Following a "bitter divorce" from Danny's mum Kathy, Alan expressed his feelings to the Daily Mail, stating that he believes Danny may be avoiding him in order to protect his mother.

"I feel as though he's painted himself into a corner and he doesn't know how to get out," he said. "I think because he loves his mum so much he's protected her, and I think any reunion with me, and this is only my opinion, would upset his mum. I don't think he wants to do that, and I understand that."

Alan has settled into a new life in Spain, hosting a three-hour radio show on Radio Fresh five days a week, and living in a two-bedroom chalet with stunning mountain views. He remains optimistic about meeting his son in the future, saying, "I always keep my fingers crossed that one day [a meet-up] will happen, but Danny is in charge of that, not me,".

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