I'm A Celebrity 2025: Shona McGarty's recent heartbreak, 'single' life and new singing career after EastEnders exit
Former soap star is making her first major TV comeback
Shona McGarty – the actress and singer millions still associate with Whitney Dean – went into I’m A Celebrity determined to prove she’s nothing like the Walford icon she played for 16 years. And judging by her soulful campfire performances and easygoing charm, she’s already smashed that goal.
Since leaving EastEnders in 2023, Shona has joked that people still expect her to rock Whitney’s signature look – huge hoops, a scraped-back ponytail and a bag of chicken nuggets in hand. But the Shona we’re seeing in the jungle couldn’t be further from that. She’s warm, funny, relaxed and showing off a voice that’s taking viewers by surprise.
Right now she’s sharing camp life with Kelly Brook, Lisa Riley, Ruby Wax, Martin Kemp, Alex Scott, Jack Osbourne, Angry Ginge, Eddie Kadi, Vogue Williams, Tom Read Wilson and Aitch. So who is the London-born talent behind the character we thought we knew?
Here’s the lowdown on Shona McGarty…
Is Shona McGarty Irish?
Shona was born on October 14, 1991 in the London Borough of Barnet.
Although she isn’t Irish herself, Shona does have Irish heritage as her grandparents from both sides of her family are from Ireland.
Why did Shona quit EastEnders?
After playing Whitney for 16 years, Shona decided to leave the soap in 2023. At the time, she told The Sun: “I have decided to spread my wings and will be leaving EastEnders. I have loved my years in the show.
“I have been trusted with some incredible storylines and have made amazing friendships – and family – which will endure.”
Shona’s final scenes as Whitney aired in May 2024.
Shona’s character arrived in Walford as Bianca Jackson’s adoptive daughter. During her time on the show, Whitney was engaged three times, killed her stalker and suffered sexual exploitation.
Before leaving the Square, Whitney was devastated when her unborn baby was diagnosed with a life-limiting condition called Edwards syndrome. The door has been left open for the character to return.
Is Shona McGarty in a relationship or still engaged?
Shona announced her engagement to musician David Bracken last year but, according to reports, the pair have recently gone their separate ways.
A source reportedly told The Sun that there are no hard feelings between Shona and David: “They are on amicable terms but have ended their relationship. They both wanted different things and are better off as friends.”
“They are on amicable terms but have ended their romantic relationship,” an insider alleged to Closer. “There are no hard feelings, they realised they wanted different things and are better off as friends. Shona is now focusing on her music and career.”
Before meeting David, Shona previously dated EastEnders co-star Max Bowden, 30, who played Ben Mitchell.
Vogue tells campmate that Shona is single
One of the biggest clues that Shona is officially back on the market has come straight from inside the camp – courtesy of none other than Vogue Williams.
After she and Tom Read Wilson made their late entrance, Vogue wasted no time taking the temperature of the group. It wasn’t long before she clocked the little spark between Shona and Aitch and slipped into matchmaker mode.
“Her and Aitch are single now,” she declared, with Tom immediately chiming in that they’d make “a gorgeous pair”.
And let’s be honest – you wouldn’t drop a line like that if Shona wasn’t actually single…
Shona McGarty on her mental health struggles
Shona has always been very open in the past about her mental health. The star has often talked about living with anxiety and depression in the hope it will help others.
Talking on social media, she said: “I’ve had my own struggles with mental health, days that feel heavier than they should and moments when self-doubt creeps in. I’ve learned that opening up and being honest about how I feel truly helps.
“It’s okay to not be okay, and it’s even more than okay to be unapologetically me. Talking about it, sharing our stories, and supporting one another is how we break the stigma and remind ourselves that none of us are alone.”
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Shona’s music career and first single
Shona released her debut single, Unapologetically Me, in October this year.
The song is all about self-acceptance and living life proudly in your own skin. To make things even more impressive, Shona wrote the song herself.
The singing sensation is no stranger to performing. Over the years, she has appeared on everything from BBC Children in Need, where she left everyone speechless as she sang A Change Is Gonna Come live on air, to singing in The Vic on EastEnders as her character, Whitney.
She even performed Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah to a packed Royal Albert Hall during the 2022 BBC Festival of Remembrance.
Showing off her impressive singing skills in the jungle
I’m A Celebrity campmate Shona hasn’t wasted time showing off her singing talent for her fellow stars.
In the first week, viewers picked up on her impressive pipes when she sang to fellow singer Martin Kemp.
A quiet spell in camp suddenly shifted gears when she burst into Proud Mary – and Martin Kemp and Kelly Brook were instantly beaming. Martin couldn’t resist slipping into Spandau mode to back her up, while Kelly threw in a joyful “rollin’!” complete with hip-shaking enthusiasm.
Her family clearly knew they were witnessing something special. They recorded the whole thing and popped it on Instagram, where you can hear someone whooping proudly in the background. Their caption said it all: an angel hiding in plain sight, and Rolling on a River never sounding better.
Followers were straight into the comments, showering her with praise.
“She has an amazing voice!” one insisted.
Another called her “effortlessly fabulous”, while others urged ITV to give the moment more airtime.
One summed it up perfectly: “Her voice is AMAZING.”
Shona McGarty’s bizarre sleeping habit
The former EastEnders star has confessed she has a quirky way of getting to sleep each evening.
“I wear headphones at night and listen to serial killer documentaries,” she said. “I don’t know what that says about me, but it helps me to sleep randomly!”
But how will she sleep in the Australian jungle without her headphones? “Someone will have to tell me a scary story so I can get to sleep,” she joked.
Read more: Inside I’m A Celebrity star Aitch’s relationship history as jungle romance rumours swirl
