Ex-EastEnders Star Shona McGarty Splits from Fiancé David Bracken Ahead of I’m A Celebrity Appearance
Former EastEnders actress Shona McGarty has reportedly ended her engagement to Irish musician David Bracken, just months before she is set to appear on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
From On-Screen Fame to Real-Life Heartbreak
Shona, 34, who rose to fame at 16 as Whitney Dean on the long-running BBC soap, has called time on her relationship with David, 36. The pair became engaged last year after meeting on TikTok and enjoying a whirlwind romance.
A source close to the couple told The Sun, “They are on amicable terms but have ended their romantic relationship. There are no hard feelings, they realised they wanted different things and are better off as friends. Shona is now focusing on her music and career.”
Shona was recently seen out and about without her engagement ring, confirming speculation that the couple had quietly gone their separate ways.
A Love Story That Ended Gracefully
David, a guitarist and former member of the band Blessed, proposed to Shona during a romantic picnic in Kensington, West London. Speaking previously to OK! Magazine, Shona recalled, “David took me to a beautiful Japanese garden because I love Japanese culture and the spirituality of it. He brought a picnic, which was really sweet. I was in my element, but I didn’t think he was going to propose.”
At the time, the couple had shared plans for an Irish wedding, with Shona saying they hoped to marry in West Cork. “We’re both Catholic, so we’d want to get married in a Catholic church, and a lot of the churches there are amazing,” she said then.
A New Chapter for Shona
Since leaving EastEnders last year, Shona has built an impressive career on stage and in music. She earned critical praise for her performances in 2:22 A Ghost Story and as the lead in the new musical Bettie Page: Queen of Pin-Ups.
Last week, she released her debut single Unapologetically Me, a soulful anthem showcasing her powerful vocals and self-confidence.
Now, the actress is reportedly preparing to enter the jungle for the upcoming season of I’m A Celebrity on ITV1 — marking another bold step in her post-soap journey.
A spokesperson for Shona declined to comment on the split.