Inside Danny Jones’ 18-year breakup with his ex-dad…panic attacks, marriage snub and why Barry McGuigan ‘cured’ him

DANNY Jones has been without a father figure for almost two decades – now it appears he has found one in Barry McGuigan.

Last night Oti Mabuse, 34, highlighted the bond that had developed between the pair, commenting on how they had formed a parent-child relationship.

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She said: “Their relationship is beautiful to watch, and you can see that Barry is the father Danny has dreamed of his whole life.”

His sighting came as Danny, 38, and Barry, 63, performed Johnny Be Good together at the Jungle Arms last night.

And it comes after Danny emotionally declared at camp: “I found a father too.” I love you all.”

Barry also appeared emotional and the couple kissed after the reveal.

Later, in the bush telegraph, he confided: “It’s wonderful that he sees me as a father figure. »

Relationship expert Jo Hemmings believes the bond formed between the pair during I’m A Celeb is helping to heal them both.

“They both fill a void of emotional desire with each other,” Jo said.

“It was really beautiful to see this deep connection form as they emotionally heal from their different types of grief.”

Danny has been separated from his father Alan Jones, 72, for 18 years, something he struggles with.

And Barry lost his daughter Danika McGuigan, 33, in 2019, just five weeks after being diagnosed with bowel cancer, leaving the Irish boxer devastated.

The Irish boxer also spoke about an earlier tragedy, when he lost his brother, Dermot, to suicide when he was 34.

“Both men are able to deal with their grief thanks to the strong bond they have formed,” Jo commented.

“They have real empathy and understand what it means to have a broken family connection.

I feel like he’s put himself in a corner and doesn’t know how to get out.

Alan Jones, Danny’s father

“Barry is able to tap into his caring and parental side, while Danny probably finds stability and wisdom in Barry.

“I don’t think any of them went looking for him.” This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen on reality TV before.

This may be difficult to watch for Danny’s father, Alan, who lost all connection with his son and daughter, Vicky, after a bitter divorce from their mother Kathy.

In a conversation with the Daily Mail last month, Alan said: “I feel like he’s painted himself into a corner and he doesn’t know how to get out of it.

“I think because he loves his mother so much, he protected her, and I think any reunion with me, and this is just my opinion, would upset his mother. I don’t think he wants to do that and I understand that.

A bittersweet viewing

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He wasn’t invited to Danny’s wedding to Georgia Horsley in 2014, nor did he meet his six-year-old grandson Cooper.

Jo reckons seeing the fatherly bond develop on I’m A Celeb will be painful for Alan, but also bittersweet, as he will be happy for Danny.

“I think he will recognize that the separation is a situation that he created with Danny,” she said.

“There will probably be a part of him that thinks it’s nice to see (Danny’s bond with Barry) but a big part of him will feel brutalized by it.

“He might wish Danny would connect with him like that.”

“But it will be bittersweet because Danny is doing really well – even if it’s out of Alan’s hands.”

Alan left his ex-wife Kathy in 2005, when Danny was 19 and already enjoying a run of success with McFly.

His father’s abrupt departure left the singer struggling with anxiety and panic attacks.

In 2022, he told the White Wine Question Time podcast: “I had a huge anxiety attack when I was 19, when my dad left.

“It’s difficult for a child because you want that (stability) and you miss it.

Panic attack in hell

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“But I feel like I’ve become much more of a man than I ever would have been before because I’ve learned a lot.

“I accomplished so much, and it made me even hungrier, and I’m not afraid of everything. I became stronger.”

Danny shared with his campmates that he had been in therapy since his parents separated in 2005.

He also shared his experience of a panic attack live on television.

Danny said: “I was panicked and couldn’t answer the question I was asked.

“My heart rate was going crazy, I went white and I felt like I was going to throw up.”

Campmate Jane Moore then asked him if his mental health issues stemmed from his childhood or from the pressures of being in McFly. Danny admitted: “I think I escaped a lot. »

Revealing he hadn’t had an anxiety attack since 2013, Danny said: “Sometimes it was so horrible.

“I suffered from claustrophobia, I broke out in a cold sweat, I felt a bandage tightening around my chest and I was afraid of having a heart attack.

“It’s so scary and sometimes I felt like I was dying. You can’t believe your body could do that to you. I was also plagued by dark thoughts that I couldn’t control.”

Family regrets

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His parents’ divorce was extremely bitter and is something Alan regrets today.

He told the Daily Mail: “It was a pretty bitter divorce that lasted far too long.

“This could have been resolved a few thousand pounds earlier.”

This is also something Danny seems to regret, as he didn’t try to maintain a relationship with his father.

“It was difficult,” he said during question time about white wine.

“I wish I knew what I knew now, just chatted with him back then.

“But I was an absolute peacemaker, I was afraid of emotions. I was afraid to really, really speak, because I wanted everything to be perfect.”

Alan married his second wife Sharon in 2007 – a year after they started dating – and the couple moved to Benidorm in 2016.

And it’s Sharon who encourages Alan to try to stay in touch with his children.

“To be completely honest, at one point I considered it a lost cause, and it was Sharon who kept sending me birthday cards, Christmas cards, but she won’t nothing to do with the relationship outside of me,” he said.

I’m still crossing my fingers that one day it will happen, but it’s Danny who’s in charge, not me.

Alan Jones, Danny’s father

And it produced results. Although Alan never met his grandson Cooper, Danny sent him a photo.

He said: “I messaged Danny and wished him a happy birthday and he sent me a great photo of Cooper with his birthday cake.

“I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that one day it will happen, but it’s Danny who’s in charge of it, not me.

“I can’t just come back to England and say ‘Hi, I’m here’, it’s too much for him. I think one day, you know, I always hope that it will happen.

Although he hasn’t seen Danny in person for 18 years, Alan hopes the couple will reconcile one day.

Healing influence

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And Jo thinks Barry could be a key player in helping Danny and his father heal this relationship.

She said: “I think Barry could have an in-depth conversation with Danny about his father and encourage him to reach out.

“He could talk about how important it was for Cooper to know his grandfather and for Danny not to lose his father completely.

“He has a very kind and generous spirit and only wants the best for Danny. I think this could also help improve this relationship.

Alan shared that he plans to contact his son when his time in the jungle ends.

He added: “At the end of the day I can sleep at night, I know he’s okay, he’s safe…

“But I would like to think that if something bad happened, like an accident or something, someone would message me to let me know, and I don’t know if that would happen…

“But I hope one day we will have that pint, sooner rather than later, time is running out.”

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