ITV I'm A Celeb's Maura Higgins set for awkward meeting with ex's dad in the jungle
by Katy Hallam, https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/authors/katy-hallam/ · Birmingham LiveMaura Higgins has been revealed to be entering the I'm A Celebrity jungle - and she'll definitely know at least one face in the camp. The Irish presenter was in a relationship with Barry McGuigan's son Shane before her rise to fame on Love Island.
Maura and the British boxing coach Shane crossed paths in May 2018 when she was working as a ring girl for William Hill, according to The Sun. She was performing ring card duties, while Shane was engaged to provide commentary for a radio talk show.
Sources at the time stated: "Maura has brains and beauty and she quickly caught Shane's eye. They struck up a conversation and there was immediate chemistry, so naturally, he asked her out.
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"At that time, Maura was residing in Ireland, and Shane was managing his boxing gym in London, and she was frequently travelling for work, making it challenging to maintain. There were no hard feelings when it ended. It was short-lived and the spark eventually fizzled out."
Barry will be participating in the jungle show following a difficult few years, having tragically lost his daughter Danika to breast cancer. He shared with The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache."
Maura is set to leave behind new boyfriend Pete Wicks, who is currently appearing on BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, to enter the jungle. Ant and Dec are set to meet the contestants in the launch show on Sunday, November 17.