Former professional boxer Barry McGuigan has opened up about the tragic death of his daughter during his appearance on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
Danika McGuigan passed away at the age of 33, just five weeks after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2019.
She was known for her role as Danielle in the BBC Three comedy Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope and had appeared in various films.
In a heartfelt discussion with his fellow campmates on the ITV reality show, McGuigan shared how Danika had initially overcome leukemia as a child after enduring two years of treatment.
McGuigan, who became World Featherweight Champion in 1985, is participating in the 24th series of the show alongside other celebrities, including Danny Jones from McFly, TV presenter Jane Moore, and Coleen Rooney.
Later in the episode, Rooney, who is married to former England footballer Wayne Rooney, became emotional while reflecting on the loss of her sister Rosie after listening to McGuigan’s story about Danika.
“She was 14 when she died, she’d be 26 now. It’s hard to lose a child, I’ve always said that… so we’re lucky to have what we’ve got,” she said.
Rosie, the sister of Coleen Rooney, suffered from a rare genetic disorder known as Rett syndrome.
Following her passing in 2013, Rooney expressed her heartbreak on social media, stating that she and her family were “absolutely heart broken to have lost our angel Rosie… we love you more than words can say.”
Rett syndrome is a neurological condition that leads to severe physical and communication disabilities, affecting approximately one in 10,000 girls born each year and rarely found in boys.
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