Barry McGuigan is already establishing himself as a fan favourite in the I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! jungle thanks to his larger-than-life personality and humour.
In his personal life, however, the 63-year-old boxer has been privately dealing with the loss of his beloved daughter Danika ‘Nika’ McGuigan, who passed away in 2019 from breast cancer, aged just 33.
The Irish actress, best known for her role in comedy series Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope, tragically died just one month after being diagnosed with cancer – something the world featherweight champion admitted he will never “recover from”.
Speaking to Belfast Live in 2021, Barry said: “I lost my daughter two years ago, and it’s been shocking. I’ll never recover from it. My life will go on, but I’ll never be the same because family means everything to me.”
Danika was Barry and his wife Sandra’s only daughter; they also share three sons, Shane, Jake and Blane.
© Niall Carson – PA ImagesIn the same interview, he also touched upon Danika’s childhood illnesses, including acute lymphoid leukemia, which she was diagnosed with aged 11, and fever convulsions.
“She was such a great kid. She had a tough life all her life. I get very upset about it. I try my best not to. I think, ‘I don’t want to cry again.’ But, yeah, tough. Very tough,” he said.
In a moving post shared on social media to mark the anniversary of her death, the boxing champion wrote: “It’s hard to believe that it’s four years today, Nika, since your passing. Don’t think we will ever come to terms with it. We love and miss you every day.”
© PA ImagesDanika’s devastating death
Danika passed away on 23 July 2019 after a “brief but brave” battle with breast cancer.
The family said at the time: “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.
© ITV“After a brief but brave battle against cancer, Nika passed away peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday, 23 July, 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 known for her roles in the drama Philomena alongside Steve Coogan and Dame Judi Dench, and Irish drama Wildfire.
Thanks to her role in Irish comedy series Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope as level-headed Danielle, the counterpart to her hapless best friend Aisling, she earned a legion of fans. The show wrapped after its second season, one year before her death.
© GettyDanika previously discussed what she admired the most about her famous father in an interview with The Times. “What I admire about Dad is his determination. If he decides he’s going to do something, he does it,” she said.
“When he was preparing mentally for his fights, he would say to us, ‘You could train all day in boxing, but if you didn’t have the right mental attitude you might stay standing for half a round, but you were never going to win a fight.’
“I know there’s been one figure who, throughout, has been a huge inspiration to me. That’s my dad.”