GK Barry’s best friend and Gogglebox star Joe Baggs defends her insisting ‘she’s not playing a game’ on I’m A Celeb
GK Barry’s best friend Joe Baggs has jumped to the star’s defence as he insisted she’s “not playing a game” on I’m A Celeb.
GK Barry (real name Grace Eleanor Keeling) has divided fans since arriving in camp, with some unsure if she’s being her true self.
But best mate and TV star Joe, 27, has confirmed that she is being “authentic” on the show – but admits there is one thing that could make her crack.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Joe said: “GK is doing so well, I think she really tried in that first trial, so viewers would stop voting for her.
“She was literally thinking ‘if I smash this one, you’ll leave me alone’.
“I think she’s doing really well. She’s being authentically herself, you saw her driving the other night, that’s pretty much what she’s like in real life.
“I’m super excited to see what happens.
“I think she’ll be a firm favourite to get to the final. I want her, Maura and Coleen in the final.
“I actually think she [Grace] is being truly authentic and cracking out the one-liners.”
Podcast host Joe said Grace has smashed the trials so far but there are a couple of challenge that could “push her over the edge”.
Joe also revealed that Grace is emetophobia, meaning she has an intense fear of vomiting, barfing, or throwing up.
He told us at the Beauty Awards 2024: “There are more fears, wait until she does one with heights and then you’re going to see.
“She’s emetophobia, scared of being sick, so I think any eating challenges.
“If she makes it to the end and they do that eating challenge that they do at the end, I think that will send her over the edge.”
Joe said he is proud of Grace so far but has one major concern.
“That first trial with Jane [Moore] when she had to put her hand in the cockroaches, I was like ‘please don’t quit, please don’t quit’,” he said.
“The only thing I’m worried about, is that she needs to poo.
“She’s held it in for a week, I’m worried about her bowels.”
He added: “She’ll be missing her girlfriend, family and I’m normally chewing her ear off every week as well, I’m sure she’s not missing that.
“But I’m sure she’s missing her home comforts but she’ll get through it
“Her girlfriend is missing her, I think we all are. We are so excited for her to come out and to have a party when she’s out.”
Joe admitted that Grace could become the new “nation’s sweetheart” and make a killing off the back of the show.
“I think she could be [the new nation’s sweetheart], and she’s on Loose Women as well. I’m hoping that she’s going to be on it even more,” he said.
“She’s got a Christmas show for the podcast as well, which my whole family are going to, that will be massive for her at Wembley.”
While Joe also shed some light on Radio 1 star Dean McCullough after he recently divided viewers over his antics in camp.
Joe shared: “I think he’s just being himself, I would be the exact same, it’s just that straight up panic.
“I think he might have used the ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ phrase a couple of times now, which obviously we don’t like, but I think he’s being himself.
“I was on Big Brother Late and Live and he’s just the same as he was on there.
“I don’t think he’s playing a game.”
Grace was voted to do the first public vote Bushtucker Trial when she entered camp last week.
She managed to secure a whopping nine stars out of ten in the ‘Vile Volcano’ challenge.
The media personality was then voted for ‘Drown in the Dumps’ trial with Dean – but failed to bring back any stars.
Some initially thought that Grace was putting on an act.
One person said, “GK Barry, I think is playing a good game.
“She knows if she appears to be terrified of creepy crawlies then she will get voted for trials and therefore get more airtime. She comes across as someone that is desperate to be noticed.”
Another person then weighed in with, “GK Barry has obviously watched #ImACeleb and knows the screamers get the trials, and it’s all about the edit and how much air time a campmate gets.
“I don’t think she’s even scared. She’s playing to the cameras and totally faking it.”
While a third person said, “GK Barry playing the game. All the faux screams and hysterics; acting up to the cameras to gain more air time.”
I'm A Celebrity 2024
i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year..
Coleen Rooney – Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney, has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever.
Tulisa – The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year’s I’m A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal.
Alan Halsall – The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities.
Melvin Odoom – The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet – the Aussie jungle.
GK Barry – The UK’s biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers.
Dean McCullough – A rising star amongst this year’s bunch of celebs, Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live.
Oti Mabuse – The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV’s Dancing On Ice.
Danny Jones – The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle, after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he’s now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice, along with bandmate Tom Fletcher.
Jane Moore – The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge – having recently split from her husband. It will be Jane’s first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past.
Barry McGuigan – Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer. He told The Late Late Show in 2021: “She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache.”
Maura Higgins – The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard. Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year.
Rev. Richard Coles – Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity, and he’s ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star, said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth.”