Internet sensation GK Barry, aka Grace Keeling, is all prepped to tackle the Australian wilderness as I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! makes its much-anticipated comeback.
With just hours to go before the show lights up our screens again on November 17, she's joining a glittering line-up of stars including WAG Coleen Rooney, former N-Dubz singer Tulisa and TV favourites Oti Mabuse, Alan Halsall and Jane Moore.
The influencer, who has captivated fans with her online charm, openly expressed apprehension about life in the great outdoors, despite her readiness for the challenge. In a chat with the Mirror, Grace didn't mince words: "I hate bugs. I hate sleeping outside. I've never done it. And so I think that would be a lot. But I feel like it would also probably be good viewing for other people."
Her background might give her an unexpected upper hand over the other celebs, though; Grace enjoyed an eventful childhood, living amidst the tropical climes of the British Virgin Islands starting when she was only two and soaking up sun-drenched holidays in Trinidad and Tobago.
Her roots are well emphasised with tales of beachside living and a rather intriguing anecdote about her family's spontaneous adoption of a goat struggling in the sea. The comic twist to her past adventures came to light in a 2022 episode of her Saving Grace podcast where her mum Loretta recounted the moment and revealed the family's impromptu rescue led by stepdad Andrew, reports OK!.
The tale took a heartbreaking twist as Grace's parents revealed they had given their pet goat to the neighbours, but GK recalled it differently. She interjected: "This is where the story gets confused. You didn't give the goat to our neighbour, we woke up one morning and said 'Where's the goat?' and you said 'Do you smell that? That's the goat, they made it into a goat curry."
The parents then admitted they had hoped the neighbours would simply care for the goat. The family also recounted how their dog was heroically saved from the sea by Andrew.
Further into the podcast, Andrew and Grace shared another animal encounter from a holiday adventure.
While visiting Trinidad and Tobago, Grace and Andrew had a close call with a snake while on a walk to gather coconuts. Andrew recounted the moment on the podcast: "I was about to say [to Grace] 'You don't have to worry about them, as long as you're not in their territory' and then it [the snake] just took off after us."
Despite GK having moved away from tropical climes, her early years spent on the islands might come in handy for her stint in the jungle.
I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! returns tonight at 9pm on ITV1 & ITVX
