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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Nuray Bulbul

Who is GK Barry? The TikTok star in the I'm A Celeb jungle and her famous girlfriend

GK Barry is one of the famous faces calling the Australian jungle home for a few weeks in I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! this year.

Barry, like last year's competitor Nella Rose, gained her notoriety on social media.

Here’s what you need to know about the star, from her age to her famous girlfriend.

Where is GK Barry from and how old is she?

GK Barry was born Grace Eleanor Keeling in Cambridge on August 25, 1999, making her 25 years old.

But she didn't stay in the city for very long. At the age of two, she and her family relocated to the Caribbean's British Virgin Islands.

After that, when she was eight years old, she moved back to the UK and settled in Nottingham, where she attended Nottingham Trent University to study film.

How did GK Barry become famous?

Barry's work on TikTok has made her a well-known online personality and influencer.

The 25-year-old initially gained attention online in 2020 thanks to her lifestyle videos on app.

At first, she did not want her own name to be known to the world, so she went by the the name GK Barry, derived from her initials and a friend's last name.

She began hosting the Saving Grace Podcast in 2022. Since then, she has toured the nation with the Saving Grace Podcast.

Who is GK Barry dating?

Barry is dating footballer Ella Rutherford, who is a striker for Ipswich Town.

It is reported that the pair met on Instagram but it’s not known how long they have been dating, as the pair like to keep their relationship private (and rarely feature on each other’s social media accounts).

Barry previously dated fellow TikToker Billy Hunt, who she had met through former Gogglebox star Joe Baggs.

Has she been on TV before?

Barry is no stranger to the world of TV. Her first on-screen appearance was as a guest on Love Island’s Aftersun in 2023, though she had previously worked behind the scenes on various programmes.

The Cambridge-born influencer then participated as a contestant on The Weakest Link and has appeared on screen for Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer.

In 2024, she made a range of TV appearances, including competing on The Wheel and becoming a guest panellist on Loose Women.

What has she said about signing up for I’m A Celeb?

After appearing as a guest on Ant and Dec's Instagram Live show two years ago, Barry says she is eager to finally meet them in person.

“Too right I’m a super fan,” says Barry. “They (Ant & Dec) went: ‘What is a GK Barry?’, and now we have gone from that to me being on the show. It has gone full circle.

“I can’t wait to meet them in Australia in the jungle. I am also excited to meet everyone on the programme, as the cast is always so amazing.”

The TikTok star, who says she is terrified of “everything”, has to overcome a lot of phobias during her time on I’m A Celebrity.

“I haven’t slept in a month. I am scared of the Trials and I am genuinely scared of everything. The eating trial to me is the worst thing you can do to a human being. You also don’t know who you are going to click with either but hopefully, after the first week, I will settle in nicely.”

Barry has said she will miss her girlfriend and cat the most during her time in the jungle.

“When you are missing home and all you want is your comfort people, then that will be hard if they are not there,“ she added.

“But my girlfriend is also very excited for me and thinks I will do really well.”

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs on weekdays and Sunday at 9pm on ITV

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