I’m A Celeb’s Shona McGarty opens up about her ‘horrible’ five-year battle with anxiety and depression as she shares fears it will impact her Jungle stint

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She has grown up onscreen after joining the cast of EastEnders aged nine.

Shona McGarty has shared that she’s been privately struggling with anxiety and depression for the past five years, and is currently receiving treatment with medication.

Shona, 34, explained to the Daily Mail why she decided to appear on this year’s I’m A Celebrity. She shared that she’s been struggling with anxiety and depression for the past four or five years.

I used to let anxiety hold me back from pursuing my dreams, but I’ve reached a point where I’m determined to overcome it and live the life I want.

Shona recently ended her engagement with musician David Bracken, explaining they had different life goals. She’s now heading to Australia, joining celebrities like Martin Kemp and Kelly Brook.

After joining ITV’s popular reality show, she explained that this was a fresh start, an opportunity for both the public and herself to rediscover who she is.

Shona, who previously starred in EastEnders, recently shared that she’s never really had a job where she could truly be herself.

This is a completely new experience for me, and I’m not sure how it will turn out. It’s a great opportunity for people to see a different side of me, separate from the character I’ve played for so long.

‘But I’m scared that the anxiety might rear its ugly head.’

The actress, originally from Essex, became known for her role as Whitney on EastEnders, joining the soap in 2008 and remaining until last year.

She talked about how being famous from a young age impacted her mental wellbeing, explaining that when people asked if she was alright, she felt pressured to say she was, even if she wasn’t.

I was raised to just put on a brave face and pretend everything’s okay, even when it’s not. That’s what I was taught to do – just say you’re alright and keep going until you actually feel better.

It’s just… everyone expects her to be perfect, you know? Like, always happy and totally confident because she’s an actress! They think that’s just part of the job, that she’s supposed to always be ‘on’ and beaming. It’s like they forget she’s a real person with real feelings. It’s so frustrating to see that expectation placed on her all the time!

Shona praised the BBC for looking after her well-being and providing support for her mental health while she was growing up as a young performer.

She acknowledged that she often feels pressured to appear okay, even when she’s struggling, because admitting otherwise feels unprofessional.

‘Or maybe you might lose your job or get killed off.’

Before the first episode of I’m A Celebrity airs on Sunday, some of the contestants – including AngryGinge, Ruby Wax, Lisa Riley, Jack Osbourne, and Alex Scott – were seen finishing their initial challenge.

The celebrities arrived at the luxurious Rivermead Estate to begin their time on “I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!”, where they were welcomed by the show’s familiar hosts, Ant and Dec.

Contestants had to endure the frightening challenge of placing a snake-filled glass bowl over their heads, all for the chance to win a comfortable bed in camp by securing a spot in the Getaway Car.

Oh my gosh, it was awful seeing those three celebrities get sent to the Coco Van! It’s basically a bus filled with fishy, smelly stuff, and Kiosk Kev was driving. It means they’re missing out on all the good stuff camp has to offer when they finally get there, which is so unfair!

Even though the campers have finished the qualifying trials, they won’t begin their Jungle experience until Saturday.

The trial was delayed by severe weather – heavy rain and thunderstorms – that moved over Australia’s Gold Coast, and the entire process of gathering evidence took several hours.

Yesterday, the final five contestants – including Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp, model and actress Kelly Brook, rapper Aitch, comedian Eddie Kadi, and former EastEnders star Shona – faced their challenge by parachuting onto a beach from helicopters.

The group celebrated a successful start to the reality show by jumping from helicopters and then dancing together on the beach.

Oh my gosh, it was incredible! Ant and Dec were up there on the headland, waving at the new campmates after they finished that crazy challenge. I seriously couldn’t believe my eyes – it was such a perfect moment! They just looked so proud, and the campmates were beaming. I wish I was there to wave back with them!

Oh my gosh, when the new celebrities finally arrived, Ant and Dec were there! They were standing on these bright yellow crates, a little ways off, watching everything… it was so exciting! They didn’t actually say anything to the new campers right away, just observed, which honestly made it even more suspenseful. I was glued to the screen!

The celebrities were picked up by helicopters from Surfer’s Paradise early in the morning, and the entire filming process took over four hours. Their helicopters spent a considerable amount of time circling the National Park during the shoot.

The celebrities faced a series of challenges in the wilderness, and the three who performed the worst were driven away in a rundown car ITV has playfully named the ‘Cocko Van’.

The new season of I’m A Celebrity begins on Sunday, but the forecast isn’t looking good. Rain is expected on the Gold Coast for the next three days, meaning the celebrities will likely arrive to a soggy campsite.

For a long time, ‘I’m A Celebrity’ has sparked discussion, often because of the controversial celebrities it casts, like Nigel Farage and Matt Hancock.

Last year, ‘I’m A Celebrity’ featured a less controversial group of contestants – including Coleen Rooney and Danny Jones from McFly – after deciding to exclude politicians.

It was, as a result, a year that passed with little to no drama.

ITV executives are implementing new rules for this year’s show, which they anticipate will be the most challenging one yet. The goal is to encourage celebrities to be more competitive, actively participate, and avoid being passive.

The show has stopped allowing celebrities to receive personal comforts from home, like pillows with family photos. Producers say this is to keep the contestants challenged and prevent them from becoming too comfortable.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always fascinated by unique rewards! It’s interesting to see how celebrities can now earn a personalized framed picture – a really special keepsake they can get by completing a challenge. It’s a much more thoughtful prize than something generic, and allows them to showcase someone they admire or cherish.

Olly Nash, the show’s executive producer, explained to the Daily Mail that the show is intentionally challenging and demanding, and he sees nothing wrong with emphasizing that aspect.

‘We need to see more celebrities earning their keep, that’s the most important thing.

This season features more celebrity contestants than ever, making the competition fiercer.

Last year’s cast was a very positive and cheerful group who enjoyed working together. This year, they’ll face more challenges, take on greater responsibilities, and play a more significant role at camp.

They can’t stay on the sidelines anymore. It’s time for them to take responsibility and deal with the consequences of the situation.

Several celebrities on this year’s show are likely to become irritable if they’re hungry or haven’t had enough sleep.

This year a new feature referred to as the Getaway Car has been introduced at the launch show.

The first ten celebrities are divided into two groups, and the first two people to finish challenges in each group – which include a messy task involving fish – will earn a ride to camp in the Getaway Car, complete with a celebratory drink.

They are then greeted by more comfortable beds in the camp with mattresses.

The three contestants left from each team then ride in a less comfortable van, known as the Coco Van.

Producers of ‘I’m A Celebrity’ have reported a significant increase in the number of pythons around the jungle camp this year, with one source, Mr. Nash, stating they’ve seen more snakes than in any previous season of the show.

Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it! This construction phase has been absolutely full of snakes – massive pythons, some nearly as long as that big log over there. It’s been incredible, and a little unnerving, to witness so many!

I’ve spotted quite a few snakes recently – about six or seven in the past couple of weeks. I’ve only seen them when people are around, which isn’t often, since they usually hide when we’re setting up camp.

Following a recent report in the Daily Mail, a new rule has been introduced to the show for the first time in 25 years. Now, if a celebrity participates in two consecutive trials, they will automatically be safe from the next public vote.

Viewers are pleased with the recent changes, especially considering how unfair things were last year when Dean McCullough was repeatedly selected for the dreaded Bushtucker Trials – seven times in a row!

Viewers expressed frustration on X, requesting a limit to how often Dean participates in trials. They felt it wasn’t entertaining to see him do so many, that he was getting too much screen time, and that it was hurting the show by not giving other contestants a chance.

Network executives have agreed to let all celebrities participate in the challenges, earn stars, and compete for votes from the public. However, they’re planning to make everyday life in camp more difficult.

If a contestant wants to take a bath, two other campmates must work together to pedal a bike and pump the water needed. This also means there’s less privacy and space for anyone wanting to be alone.

For confidential help and support contact Samaritans on 116 123 

I’m A Celebrity launches on Sunday at 9pm on ITV and ITVX 

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2025-11-14 23:24