Deep in the Australian jungle, a simple campfire chat about proposals turned into one of the most emotional moments of this year’s *I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!* when EastEnders star Shona McGarty quietly broke her silence on the engagement that never made it to the altar.
The 34-year-old actress, who split from Irish guitarist fiancé David Bracken just weeks before entering the jungle, had kept the break-up under wraps – until Thursday night’s episode forced the wounds wide open.
Shona was left feeling uneasy by the marriage chat
She split from her fiancé before the jungleCredit: Instagram/@davidirishband
Black and white photo of David Bracken and Shona McGarty kissing.
It all started innocently enough. Rapper Aitch had the camp in stitches when he revealed a fan once proposed to him at a meet-and-greet, complete with a ring and a hug. Kelly Brook then admitted she’d been engaged five times before finally marrying husband Jeremy Parisi – who, hilariously, never actually popped the question himself. Even Spandau Ballet legend Martin Kemp confessed his wife Shirlie had to drag him into a Dublin jeweller and basically choose her own ring.
But while everyone else was laughing and swapping stories, Shona grew quiet.
As the conversation wound down, she slipped away with Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read Wilson to do the washing up – and that’s when the tears finally came.
“I couldn’t really join in,” Shona confessed, her voice cracking. “I’ve literally just come out of a break-up… an engagement actually.”
The revelation hung heavy in the air. Tom, ever the gentleman, pulled her in for a hug and told her she’d done the “sensible thing” by stepping away.
“You will find the right thing at the right time,” he reassured her. “You deserve the absolute best.”
Shona and Aitch have sparked romance rumoursCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
The pair have been seen getting closeCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Shona and Aitch in conversation.
Viewers already knew the backstory: earlier this month The Sun revealed Shona and David had called off their engagement on amicable terms just before she flew to Australia. The couple, who met on TikTok two years ago, got engaged during a romantic picnic in a Japanese garden in Kensington – a moment Shona once described as “lovely… I was in my element.”
Yet behind the fairy-tale proposal, things slowly unravelled. A source close to the couple said: “They realised they wanted different things and are better off as friends. There are no hard feelings – Shona’s now focusing on her music and her career.”
Back in camp, the heartbreak added an unexpected twist to the budding jungle chemistry. Aitch had already raised eyebrows when he admitted by the creek that he has “a bit of a soft spot” for Shona, with pal Angry Ginge egging him on.
Whether anything sparks between them remains to be seen – but one thing’s for sure: after keeping her pain hidden for weeks, Shona McGarty finally let the jungle – and the nation – see her vulnerable side. And it was heartbreakingly beautiful.