Barry McGuigan’s daughter’s heartbreaking death: How I’m a Celebrity star’s life turned upside down after losing 33-year-old Danika

Barry McGuigan pulled on the nation’s heartstrings as he discussed his daughter Danika’s heartbreaking death during Monday night’s I’m A Celebrity.

The boxer, 63, broke down in tears while discussing his grief following Danika’s tragic death in 2019.

Danika McGuigan, who worked as an actress, passed away surrounded by her ‘devastated’ family after losing her battle with cancer aged 33. 

She struggled with her health from a young age, after being diagnosed with Leukaemia when she was just 11 years old. 

Speaking to Belfast Live in 2021, Barry admitted he will ‘never recover’ from losing a child but will try his best to ‘move on with life’.

He said: ‘I lost my daughter two years ago, and it’s been shocking. I’ll never recover from it. 

Danika McGuigan (pictured in 2008), who worked as an actress, passed away surrounded by her ‘devastated’ family after losing her battle with cancer aged 33

‘My life will go on, but I’ll never be the same because family means everything to me.’

On the fifth anniversary of her death, the boxing champion wrote on social media: ‘5 years today Nika, we miss you so much.’

Danika had starred in films including Philomena, Mammal and Wildlife and was known as Nika McGuigan in her professional work.

She attended Princess Anne‘s old school Benenden in Kent before completing a drama degree in Dublin.

A family statement at the time of her death read: ‘It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our beautiful daughter and sister, Danika ‘Nika’ McGuigan,’

‘After a brief but brave battle against cancer, Nika passed away peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday, July 23, surrounded by her loving family.

‘As a family we are devastated and ask for complete privacy during this difficult period to allow us to grieve for our Nika.’

Danika was Barry’s only daughter, alongside her three brothers Shane, Jake and Blane, whom he shares with long term wife Sandra McGuigan.

The boxer broke down in tears while discussing his grief following Danika’s tragic death in 2019

She struggled with her health from a young age, after being diagnosed with Leukaemia when she was just 11 years old (pictured with her father in 1994)

Speaking to Belfast Live in 2021, Barry admitted he will ‘never recover’ from losing a child but will try his best to ‘move on with life’ (pictured in 2008)

Barry is pictured alongside his wife Sandra, one of his sons and his daughter Danika

Danika’s death following a ‘brave battle with cancer’ was announced by her family in a statement on 24th July 2019 (pictured in 2011)

On the fifth anniversary of her death, the boxing champion wrote on social media: ‘5 years today Nika, we miss you so much’

Shane has followed in the footsteps of his father, becoming one of boxing’s most successful trainers.

Her mother, Sandra, has been married to her father Barry for more than thirty years.

Speaking of his daughter’s cancer diagnoses in 1997, he told The Sunday Times in 2005: ‘Finding out that Danika had leukaemia was like being hit with a sledgehammer.

‘There’s nothing worse than your child getting sick. No amount of fighting in the ring could have prepared me for it.’

After about a year and a half out of school, Danika returned to school – and in a heartbreaking conversation with her father – said she wouldn’t get sick again. She just got on with her life, Barry said.

He continued: ‘She found a love of drama and is now at acting school in Dublin. The word “dynamo” doesn’t do her justice.

‘With Danika the glass is never half-empty and never half-full. It’s completely full. In fact, it’s probably spilling over.’

Barry has been privately dealing with the heartache for five years but spoke of the tragedy with his supportive campmates for the first time on the ITV show. 

Fans dubbed the ’emotional’ moment the ‘most moving in I’m A Celeb history’ as all the campmates broke down in floods of tears while supporting Barry 

Fans dubbed the ’emotional’ moment the ‘most moving in I’m A Celeb history’ as all the campmates broke down in floods of tears while supporting Barry

Barry told the camp: ‘[Danika] had leukaemia, when I was making the boxing with Daniel Day Lewis. Three weeks from the end I had to leave because she’d been diagnosed with leukaemia’

As he began to cry campmates gathered around with Danny Jones and Tulisa offering a hug, as Barry gushed: ‘Thank you, you’re all so lovely, I really appreciate it’

Later going to tell Loose Women ‘s Jane Moore about Danika’s second and final bout with cancer, he said: ‘She had pains in her tummy but she was making the movie, she put it off and went to the doctor, called us all in. Stage 4 bowel cancer, 5 weeks, 5 weeks she died’

Fans dubbed the ’emotional’ moment the ‘most moving in I’m A Celeb history’ as all the campmates broke down in floods of tears while supporting Barry.

Barry told the camp: ‘[Danika] had leukaemia, when I was making the boxing with Daniel Day Lewis. 

‘Three weeks from the end I had to leave because she’d been diagnosed with leukaemia.

‘They thought she wasn’t going to get better but she fought back and she won it. She had two years of chemo.’ 

As he began to cry campmates gathered around with Danny Jones and Tulisa offering a hug, as Barry gushed: ‘Thank you, you’re all so lovely, I really appreciate it.’

Later going to tell Loose Women‘s Jane Moore about Danika’s second and final bout with cancer, he said: ‘She had pains in her tummy but she was making the movie, she put it off and went to the doctor, called us all in. 

‘Stage 4 bowel cancer, 5 weeks, 5 weeks she died.’ 

Viewers wrote on X: ‘That was one of the most moving moments in the history of I’m a celeb. Such a likeable bunch – put them all in the final!!! #ImACeleb’.