Danny Jones‘ wife has revealed the heartbreaking reason he has grown so close with his fellow I’m A Celebrity camp mate Barry McGuigan.
The McFly singer, 38, and the former boxer, 63, have formed an incredible bond throughout their time in the jungle, so much so that the pair plan to remain close after the show finishes.
And on Lorraine on Friday, the musician’s wife Georgia Horsley revealed the real reason the pair have made such a strong connection.
The model explained that Danny has found a father figure in Barry because it’s something he lacked growing up.
She told host Christine Lampard: ‘He gravitates to father figures, to older men, because he didn’t have that growing up.’
And their friendship has grown so strong, he has even invited the ex-athlete over for Christmas.
+10
View gallery
Danny Jones ‘ wife has revealed the heartbreaking reason he has grown so close with his fellow I’m A Celebrity camp mate Barry McGuigan during an interview on Lorraine on Friday
The McFly singer, 38, and the former boxer, 63, have formed an incredible bond throughout their time in the jungle, so much so, the pair pan to remain close after the show finishes
+10
View gallery
The model explained that Danny has fund a father figure in Barry because it’s something he lacked growing up
Georgia revealed that Barry might well be popping over to enjoy some turkey at the Jones’s home over the festive period, telling Christine: ‘Barry Mcguigan is coming for Christmas apparently, so there’s that booked in.’
Danny has previously opened up about his difficult upbringing after becoming estranged from his father Alan for 18 years.
But it seems the popstar has found a surrogate father in camp mate Barry and last week referred to him as ‘dad’.
I’m A Celebrity fans were left ‘in tears’ after Danny made an emotional confession to Barry.
Last week the celebrity campmates individually gave heartwarming speeches, and once the McFly star made his speech there was not a dry eye in the house.
Joining his campmates by the campfire seating area, Danny confessed: ‘Just like I was scared to do this speech, I was scared to do this show.
‘I was exposed, and I couldn’t you know hide behind my guitar, and it’s been the most uplifting empowering experience I’ve ever had.’
He sweetly gestured to Barry, 63, with: ‘And I’ve also found a dad. I love you all.’
+10
View gallery
Georgia also revealed that Barry might well be popping over for Christmas: ‘Barry Mcguigan is coming for Christmas apparently so there’s that booked in’
+10
View gallery
Danny has previously opened up about becoming estranged from his father Alan for 18 years and seems to have found a surrogate father in Barry and last week referred to him as ‘dad’
+10
View gallery
I’m A Celebrity fans were left ‘in tears’ after Danny made an emotional confession to Barry, telling him ‘I’ve also found a dad. I love you all.’
Barry looked emotional as the pair shared a sweet hug and later in the bush telegraph he confided: ‘It’s lovely that he feels that I am a fatherly figure.’
The Irish promoter and former professional boxer added: ‘He’s such a great kid, I hope I will be friends with him for the rest of my life.’
The musician’s father walked out on the family when he was younger, and nearly two decades on the singer still hasn’t forgiven him or visited him in Spain, where he now lives.
Danny admitted he used to ‘idolise’ Alan while he was growing up but that all changed when he split from his mum Kathy – just as his band had hit the big time.
The star was 19 years old when his dad left and Danny has revealed he went to therapy after experiencing anxiety following his father’s sudden decision to leave.
He explained: ‘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 kid 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.’
+10
View gallery
Barry looked emotional as the pair shared a sweet hug and later in the bush telegraph he confided: ‘It’s lovely that he feels that I am a fatherly figure.’
+10
View gallery
Danny’s father Alan for 18 years walked out on the family when the star was 19, and nearly two decades on the singer still hasn’t forgiven him or visited him in Spain, where he now lives
The guitarist admitted he still feels ‘angry’ every Father’s Day and no longer has a relationship with him.
He explained: ‘When I’ve seen my mum in so much pain, it was hard. 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 is now married to former Miss England Georgia and they share a son Cooper, six. However his father was not invited to the wedding in 2014 and is yet to meet his grandson.
Speaking on the White Wine Question Time podcast in 2022, he added: ‘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.
+10
View gallery
The guitarist admitted he still feels ‘angry’ every Father’s Day and no longer has a relationship with him. He explained: ‘When I’ve seen my mum (Kathy, pictured) in so much pain, it was hard’
+10
View gallery
Danny is now married to former Miss England Georgia and they share a son Cooper, six, who is father has never met
‘I idolised him, and my mum, they’re my first people I looked up to.’
Last month Danny’s estranged father spoke out on their decades-long rift for the first time as he shared that his a bitter divorce from Danny’s mother Kathy tarnished his relationship with his son, who he described as a ‘lovely lad’ with a ‘heart of gold’.
He told the Daily Mail they had an ‘excellent’ bond throughout the McFly guitarist’s childhood in Bolton and he ‘dedicated his life’ to helping kick-start his successful music career.
The radio DJ, who now lives in Benidorm with his current wife Sharon, has yet to meet his grandson Cooper – but he is holding out hope that ‘one day it will happen’ and that he’ll ‘finally get that pint with his son’.
