I'm A Celebrity bosses target EastEnders legend after emotional BBC soap exit

Daily Mirror

10-05-2025

An EastEnders star has been linked to the cast of the 2025 season of ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! (Image: ITV)
ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! may still be six months away but it appears a former EastEnders star is in the sights of the show casting team for the 2025 season. The long-running reality show brings together a group of stars from the worlds of TV, music and politics and drops them in an Australian jungle where they try to boost their star power.
And for the forthcoming 25th season of the reality show, bosses are said to be hopeful they can tap soap star Shona McGarty, 33. The actress is best known for playing Whitney Dean on the BBC's long-running soap EastEnders - a role she held down from 2008 until quitting at the end of last year.
Shona had explained she wanted to quit EastEnders after 15 years of service in order to explore other opportunities in the entertainment world. And it seems that I'm A Celeb could be one of the first big projects she undertakes now that she is free of the soap.
A source told The Sun: "Shona is Walford royalty and hugely popular with TV viewers, she's got bags of charisma and producers think she'll be a great campmate.
"Plus fans haven't seen much of her away from Enders, so I'm A Celeb will be an opportunity for her to show a completely different side to her personality. Show bosses are already talking to some brilliant names for the new series.'
Whitney Dean star Shona McGarty has been tipped to star in the 2025 season of the ITV show (Image: REX/BBC)
The Mirror has contacted representatives of Shona and I'm A Celeb for comment. Shona would be far from the first EastEnders star to take part in I'm A Celeb.
Danniella Westbrook, who played Sam Mitchell in 'stEnders, was the first from the soap to try her luck on the series. She was a contestant during season two of the show in 2003 but withdrew from the contest after just nine days.
Sid Owen, who played Ricky Butcher - Shona's character's uncle - was in the cast in the 2005 season, and made it as a finalist. He ended third behind Emmerdale star Sheree Murphy and winner Carol Thatcher - a journalist and daughter of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Dean Gaffney, famous for playing Robbie Jackson on and off since 1993, was a contestant during season six in 2006 - and was a late entrant to the camp, parachuting in on day five of the contest. He did not fare well, however, and was voted off the show less than two weeks later.
Marc Bannerman, who played Gianni di Marco on the BBC show from 1998 until 2000, appeared in the jungle the following year - but was the first star to be voted off that season.
During the eighth season in 2008, Joe Swash became the first EastEnders star to win I'm A Celeb - romping to victory over runner up Martina Navratilova. He played Mickey Miller on the soap from 2003 until 2008 - and then reprised the role briefly in both 2011 and 2024.
Lisa Fowler actress Lucy Benjamin was the next EastEnders star to appear on the show - taking part in season nine in 2009. She failed to win the show and was the third to be voted off that year.
It wasn't until 2012 that another EastEnders star took part on ITV's reality show - with Charlie Brooks, who plays the iconic soap villain Janine Butcher entered the jungle and went on to win. The following year, Laila Morse - who plays Mo Harris - took part but was the second to be voted off.
Next up was Larry Lamb, more famous for his role on Gavin & Stacey, but he also played Archie Mitchell from 2008 2010. He appeared in the 2016 season - but was voted off roughly halfway through.
Rita Simons, who played Roxy Mitchell, appeared in 2018. Lauren Branning actress Jacqueline Jossa won in 2019. Jessica Plummer, who played Chantelle Atkins, and Shane Richie, who plays Alfie Moon, both appeared in the 2020 season - although neither made it to the final.
Ian Beale icon Adam Woodyatt starred in the 2021 season and made it just over halfway through the season before being voted off. Danielle Harold, who played Lola Pearce from 2011 until 2024, starred in the 2023 season - and also only made it slightly more than halfway before being voted off, but is the most recent EastEnders star to appear on the show as there were none during the 2024 season.
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