I’m A Celebrity: GK Barry’s podcast controversy, footballer girlfriend and crippling anxiety

Social media star GK Barry is one of the many popular faces among the I’m A Celebrity 2024 line-up.

Since rising to fame on TikTok in 2o2o, GK Barry has launched her own podcast, appeared on multiple TV shows and now, the internet personality is heading Down Under into the jungle.

But while Grace Keeling, known online as GK Barry, is set to make her debut on I’m A Celebrity, the star is no stranger to the world of reality television. She’s starred in Footasylum’s Locked In, Channel 4’s Don’t Look Down and recently joined the Loose Women panel.

But what happened with Grace’s recent controversy on her podcast? Which professional female footballer is Grace dating? And how did her viral lockdown videos propel her to TV fame? Read on and we’ll tell you…

GK Barry is part of the I’m A Celebrity 2024 line-up (Credit: ITV)
 

How GK Barry’s viral TikToks earned her a spot on I’m A Celebrity

It was reported by The Sun that GK Barry would be among the stars taking on the challenge of I’m A Celebrity.

Her content blew up during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when she was frequently posting hilarious videos about her life as a Nottingham Trent University student. She gained more than one million followers on the short-form video platform in just over a year.

Currently aged 25, GK Barry was born on August 12, 1999 and now has nearly five million followers across her social media platforms.

After leaving university, where she studied film at undergraduate and obtained a Master’s in digital marketing, Grace launched her own series named The Saving Grace Podcast in April 2022.

Grace has since welcomed many famous faces onto the chart-topping podcast, including Alison Hammond and Alan Carr to share details of their life (both past and present) and chat about the latest trends.

Grace recently came under fire after a controversial podcast episode (Credit: Splash News)

GK Barry’s Saving Grace podcast controversy

While The Saving Grace Podcast is usually commended for being light-hearted and funny, the star recently came under fire after sitting down with controversial adult star Bonnie Blue. Earlier this month, the host received backlash for giving Bonnie a platform. On the podcast, the OnlyFans creator spoke openly about sleeping with “hundreds” of “barely legal” men.

Viewers argued that the content was harmful to GK’s young audience and glorified such behaviour. This ultimately resulted in the podcast episode being deleted, along with all long and short-form social media clips related to it.

Grace has been silent following the social media storm. Some fans speculated that the podcast host had gone into hiding. However, many are now convinced that the reason for Grace’s silence was down to her jetting off to Australia and preparing to take part in I’m A Celebrity.

There’s even been some additional speculation about the timing of the controversial interview and Grace leaving to head into the jungle. Some suspicious viewers wondered if it could’ve been a PR stunt to boost her star status before the show begins.

One of the main criticisms surrounding the interview was that Grace didn’t challenge anything that Bonnie said. So it’ll definitely be interesting to hear what Grace has to say if she is asked about the podcast episode by one of her jungle campmates…

Who’ll be your King or Queen of the Jungle? (Credit: ITV)

GK Barry is dating footballer Ella Rutherford

Grace recently confirmed her romance with footballer Ella Rutherford, who plays as a striker for Ipswich Town.

In May 2024, the star announced that she was dating a female footballer and it later came out in June that the athlete in question played for England. The soccer star then took to Instagram to essentially hard-launch the relationship.

I feel like I’m glowing. It’s the lesbian glow.

Grace has previously explained that Ella is her first female partner and even stated that she wouldn’t go back to dating men, telling her podcast listeners: “I feel like I went very wrong with men. I don’t like men any more – I will never go back to a man. God forbid. Yeah, I just love it.

“I feel like I’ve got spring in my step. I feel like I’m glowing. It’s the lesbian glow. I’ve got it. And yeah, that’s my life update.”

Ella shared pictures of herself and Grace earlier this week, captioning the post: “My little jungle babe.”

We reckon we might even see Ella greeting Grace on that infamous I’m A Celebrity bridge when she exits camp, hopefully as Queen of the Jungle!

It won’t be her first TV stint

Ahead of appearing on the show, Grace has been featured on television multiple times.

GK Barry starred in season three of Locked In, Footasylum’s YouTube show where social media influencers must live and work together to win prizes. The series filmed the creators locked in a house and stripped of all technology.

In 2023, Grace also appeared on the Channel 4 show Don’t Look Down, alongside Chris Hughes and Paddy McGuinness. It’s safe to say it didn’t look like she thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling challenges as a viral clip showed her screaming with fear into the abyss.

@channel4@Grace is the first to level up #DontLookDownC4 #GKBarry

♬ original sound – Channel 4

Joining the Loose Women panel

The TikTok star has become a regular on ITV’s Loose Women panel. She her debut on the lunchtime show back in August. In doing so, she became the series’ new youngest panelist, a crown previously held by Frankie Bridge.

In a previous episode of Loose Women, Grace seemed certain that she wouldn’t survive in the wilderness, dramatically describing her fear of outdoor creatures.

As well as that, in a previous interview with Ant and Dec, Grace was asked if she would ever appear on I’m A Celebrity. She said she would “absolutely” consider it if the price was right.

She also joked that all she really wants is to be sun-kissed: “I just want a little tan in the jungle, maybe I’d do it.”

Regarding how she would cope in camp, Grace admitted she would be good viewing but stated that she “wouldn’t cope at all”.

Mental health battle

Despite seeming like a very confident woman, Grace has openly spoken about her battle with anxiety and how she manages it.

She previously said gaining a platform and becoming famous has helped with the issue. In an interview with OK!, she said: “I used to be really nervous, to do anything or talk to anyone. But everything that I’m doing is pushing me out of my comfort zone and building my confidence.

“When I first started this journey, I wouldn’t even get on public transport on my own… it’s really made me a lot more independent and confident. It’s all quite surreal.”

Revealing how she overcame her self-doubt, Grace added: “A glass of prosecco, that eases the nerves! But also, I just remind myself that I have every right to be here as well. It is truly a case of fake it until you make it for me.”