{"id":7447,"date":"2025-11-22T15:55:53","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T16:55:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/?p=7447"},"modified":"2025-11-24T12:23:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T12:23:55","slug":"im-a-celebrity-star-shona-mcgartys-co-star-romance-ex-fiance-and-potential-jungle-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/22\/im-a-celebrity-star-shona-mcgartys-co-star-romance-ex-fiance-and-potential-jungle-match\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019m A Celebrity star Shona McGarty\u2019s co-star romance, ex-fianc\u00e9 and potential jungle match"},"content":{"rendered":"
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EastEnders star Shona McGarty entered the I’m A Celebrity jungle soon after the end of her recent engagement (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Key Points<\/div>\n

\t\t\t\t\tsummary__ai-icon<\/title>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-metro-gutenberg-summary\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shona McGarty is currently on I’m A Celebrity, following her exit from EastEnders after playing Whitney Dean since 2008<\/li>\n<li>She recently ended her engagement to musician David Bracken and is focusing on her music and personal growth<\/li>\n<li>Fans speculate a potential romance between Shona and fellow I’m A Celebrity contestant Aitch due to their on-screen chemistry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ai-disclaimer\">\n\t\t\t\t\tCreated with AI assistance. Quality assured by Metro editors.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/shona-mcgarty\/\">Shona McGarty<\/a> entered the <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/shona-mcgarty\/\">I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here<\/a> jungle last week, amid a tumultuous couple of years for the ex-EastEnders star.<\/p>\n<p>Actor and singer Shona, 34, found fame playing <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/whitney-dean\/\">Whitney Dean<\/a> in the BBC soap, which she first joined at the age of 18.<\/p>\n<p>Shona <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/05\/23\/whitney-cuts-three-people-life-final-eastenders-exit-20894244\/\">vacated the role in May last year<\/a>, commencing work on her debut album and Bettie Page stage musical.<\/p>\n<p>Months later, she announced that she had gotten engaged to musician David Bracken after two years of dating.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tGet personalised updates on I'm A Celeb\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p> Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/newsletters\/tv-newsletter\/?ito=tv-article&signup-source=tv-article-link\">Sign up to our newsletter<\/a> and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Reports emerged earlier this month that Shona and David <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/11\/03\/eastenders-star-shona-mcgarty-splits-fiance-a-year-engagement-24599070\/\">had since ‘ended’ their engagement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With Shona now one week into her stint in the I’m A Celebrity jungle, here’s all you need to know about her dating history and recent break-up.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"969\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24778833 lazyload\" alt=\"Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Fisher\/Shutterstock (13945909gl) Shona McGarty British Soap Awards, Arrivals, Manchester, UK - 03 Jun 2023\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_158828365-43f9.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Shona left EastEnders last year (Picture: Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"406\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24775028 lazyload\" alt=\"STRICT EMBARGO - NOT FOR USE BEFORE 22:15 GMT, 19 Nov 2025 - EDITORIAL USE ONLY Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV\/Shutterstock (15853858ae) Aitch and Jack on the Music Industry - Shona McGarty 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' TV show, Series 25, Show 4, Australia - 19 Nov 2025\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_274932690-4ca3.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Shona is braving the I’m A Celebrity jungle (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is Shona McGarty married?<\/h2>\n<p>No, Shona is not married. Earlier this month, it was announced that Shona had ‘split’ from fianc\u00e9 David Bracken after a year of engagement. <\/p>\n<p>Shona met guitarist Davidafter he got in touch via TikTok in 2023, asking whether she’d like to collaborate on a song.<\/p>\n<p>One year later, at Holland Park in <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/london\/\">London<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/07\/13\/eastenders-star-shona-mcgarty-announces-engagement-david-bracken-21222126\/\">David popped the question<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A source claimed in November this year that the pair had since called off the engagement, telling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/tv\/37191441\/eastenders-shona-mcgarty-splits-fiance-david-bracken\/\">The Sun<\/a>: \u2018They are on amicable terms, but have ended their romantic relationship.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u2018There 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.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"604\" height=\"669\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24778834 lazyload\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_212707352-1fcb.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>It was reported that David and Shona had split in November this year (Picture: Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Life after the split<\/h2>\n<p>In the weeks after Shona and David’s split, she released a cryptic message to her <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/instagram\/\">Instagram<\/a> page, talking about her ‘new beginning.’<\/p>\n<p>Posting a video of her applying make-up in the mirror, Shona wrote: ‘I\u2019m finally learning to just be me, no filters, no apologies, no shrinking to make others comfortable.<\/p>\n<p>‘It\u2019s a new beginning, and this time I\u2019m stepping into life with open arms and an open heart. I\u2019ve spent too long second-guessing, dimming my light, trying to fit into spaces that were never meant for me.’<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"807\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24778836 lazyload\" alt=\"Shona McGarty 'splits from fianc?' David Bracken after a year\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_272868153-804f.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Shona and David had announced their engagement last year (Picture: Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>She continued: ‘But now, it\u2019s about freedom, being comfortable in my own skin, owning my story, singing LOUD, with all my flaws, and my fire.<\/p>\n<p>‘This is the start of really living, fully and authentically. From here on out, \u2026I\u2019m \u2026 unapologetically me.’<\/p>\n<p>David has been supportive of Shona’s jungle journey since their split, posting a picture of them both together with the caption: ‘Let\u2019s go girl! You got this.’<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"981\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24778823 lazyload\" alt=\"Mandatory Credit: Photo by Richard Young\/Shutterstock (1548080k) Shona McGarty and Matt Lapinskas National Television Awards, The O2, London, Britain - 25 Jan 2012\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_275307080-b5e2.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Shona dated her EastEnders co-star Matt Lapinskas, who played Anthony Moon on the soap (Picture: Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">How her relationships played out during her EastEnders years<\/h2>\n<p>Appearing on EastEnders as Whitney Dean from 2008 to 2024, Shona previously dated co-stars <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/max-bowden\/\">Max Bowden<\/a> and Matt Lapinskas while they were on the soap.<\/p>\n<p>Shona dated Matt, who played Anthony Moon, between 2011 and 2013. He told <a href=\"http:\/\/www.closeronline.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Closer <\/a>in 2012: ‘I had seen Shona on TV and always thought she had a gorgeous smile, but it is all about the personality. When I met her, we just clicked. It really was love at first sight.’<\/p>\n<p>The pair split a year later, with Matt now describing dating Shona as being ‘like hell.’<\/p>\n<p>As per <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/3am\/celebrity-news\/ex-eastender-matt-lapinskas-said-3633272\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Mirror<\/a>, he said: ‘Shona had no interest in being there for me. All she was interested in was going out partying until 2am.’<\/p>\n<p>Shona, meanwhile, denied rumours that they’d split because he had <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2013\/03\/03\/eastenders-star-shona-mcgarty-denies-her-split-with-matt-lapinskas-had-anything-to-do-with-dancing-on-ice-partner-brianne-delcourt-3523947\/\">‘grown close’ to Dancing On Ice partner Brianne Delcourt<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>She tweeted: \u2018Thanx 4 support guys! Yes its true Matt and I have split but it has NOTHING 2 do with Brianne. Clear head and new beginnings!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"644\" height=\"446\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24778829 lazyload\" alt=\"Shona McGarty Ryan Harris\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/PRI_125114436-62c1.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Shona dated electrician Ryan Harris (Picture: Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>During her time on EastEnders, Shona also began dating an electrician named Ryan Harris.<\/p>\n<p>They announced their engagement in 2018, after Ryan proposed during her surprise birthday party. However, <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2020\/02\/23\/eastenders-star-shona-mcgarty-split-ex-fiance-12287366\/\">they split in 2020<\/a>, in an ‘amicable’ breakup.<\/p>\n<p>We both came to the decision that, actually, this isn\u2019t what we really want. It fizzled out and we weren\u2019t the same people,’ she told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/fabulous\/10992365\/eastenders-shona-mcgarty-split-ryan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"908\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24778825 lazyload\" alt=\"EastEnders stars Max Bowden and Shona McGarty have seemingly confirmed their romance with a picture on social media. The actors, who portray Ben Mitchell and Whitney Dean respectively, posed for a series of snaps at the House and Classics Festival in Essex, which Shona subsequently shared on her Instagram profile.\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_275306467-7e32.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Shona and co-star Max Bowden were rumoured to be dating in 2022 (Picture: Instagram)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Shona then <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2022\/10\/27\/eastenders-max-bowden-and-shona-mcgarty-split-after-six-months-17647441\/\">began growing close to Ben Mitchell star Max<\/a> over a six-month period in 2022 – but reportedly parted ways due to the fact he was expecting a child with his former partner, Roisin Buckle.<\/p>\n<p>Still, they remained on good terms afterwards, with Shona revealing at the British Soap Awards in 2023: ‘We\u2019re actually better than ever.’<\/p>\n<p>She added: ‘It\u2019s a friendship, we\u2019re in such a good place.’<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"636\" height=\"358\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24774822 lazyload\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/104092829-0-image-a-38_1763761729961.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Tom Read Wilson and Vogue Williams spotted chemistry between Shona and rapper Aitch (Picture: ITV)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<section class=\"metro-comment-cta\">\n<div class=\"metro-comment-cta__inner\"><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text-wrap\"><title>Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">Are you shipping Shona and Aitch?<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fans predict I’m A Celebrity romance<\/strong> <strong>as<\/strong> <strong>sparks fly with Aitch<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Since arriving in the jungle, fans have <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/11\/21\/im-a-celebrity-fans-root-for-new-katie-price-and-peter-andre-jungle-romance-24774571\/\">noticed a certain spark between Shona and fellow contestant Aitch<\/a> – dubbing them the next Katie Price and <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/peter-andre\/\">Peter Andre<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>‘Aitch and Shona the new Katie and Peter,’ wrote michellefowlers on X as these scenes aired.<\/p>\n<p>‘Aitch and shona ye i ship it,’ agreed mint250.<\/p>\n<p>DPatz13 commented: ‘Aitch & Shona could be a power couple in camp.’<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"409\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24775022 lazyload\" alt=\"STRICT EMBARGO - NOT FOR USE BEFORE 22:30 GMT, 21 Nov 2025 - EDITORIAL USE ONLY Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV\/Shutterstock (15866767bx) Ruby and Vogue Bond Over Botox - Aitch 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' TV show, Series 25, Show 6, Australia - 21 Nov 2025\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_275191517-5ee0.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Aitch has confessed he has a ‘soft spot’ for Shona (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It’s a sentiment echoed by new arrivals Tom Read Wilson and Vogue Williams, who took note of the pair’s chemistry last night.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018They would make a gorgeous pair\u2019, said Tom, with Vogue agreeing: \u2018they\u2019ve got those bright, bright blue eyes and they both love music\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>I’m A Celebrity airs at 9pm on ITV1.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Got a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\">Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/submit-stuff\/\">Submit Stuff<\/a> page – we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\"><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-comments\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span><title>Comment now<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-preferred-source\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EastEnders star Shona McGarty entered the I’m A Celebrity jungle soon after the end of her recent engagement (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock) Key Points summary__ai-icon Shona McGarty is currently on I’m A Celebrity, following her exit from EastEnders after playing Whitney Dean since 2008 She recently ended her engagement to musician David Bracken and is focusing on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7449,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7447"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7460,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7447\/revisions\/7460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}