Shona McGarty’s full dating timeline amid growing excitement over Aitch’s “soft spot” for her
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! is currently underway and the BushTucker Trials are getting more gruesome by the day.
The 25th series kicked off on Sunday 16th November with the first 10 celebs in this year’s line-up arriving at the infamous jungle Down Under. One of those celebs is Shona McGarty, who many may recognise for playing Whitney Dean on EastEnders.
During a recent episode of the ITV1 show, rapper Aitch sparked romance rumours after admitting that he has a “soft spot” for Shona.
“I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Shona, me,” the 25-year-old told Angry Ginge, who replied: “I think she’s really nice, if that’s what you mean yeah…”
“Yeah that’s what I mean,” Aitch added.
Following the admission, fans flocked to X (formerly Twitter), with one saying: “Aitch and Shona is the relationship I’m here for!! #ImACeleb”
Some viewers speculated that their relationship might follow a path similar to Peter Andre and Katie Price, who met on the third season of I’m a Celeb in 2004 before marrying and having two children.
“Aitch and Shona, Peter and Katie 2.0? #ImACeleb” one viewer wrote.
However, viewers may be getting slightly ahead of themselves, given that Shona got engaged to her musician partner last year…
As the series continues, read on for the actresses full dating history.
Who is Shona McGarty?
Yoshitaka Kono//ITV
Shona McGarty is an actress best known for playing Whitney Dean on EastEnders from 2008 to 2024.
She stepped down from the BBC One soap in 2023 and Whitney’s storyline concluded with her leaving Walford with her mother, Bianca, and her two daughters, Britney and Dolly, to begin a new life elsewhere.
In 2025, Shona portrayed Bettie in Bettie Page Queen of Pin-Ups The Musical and released a single “Unapologetically Me”.
She joined the cast of I’m a Celebrity 2025 in November, saying: “I have always wanted to do I’m A Celebrity because I am a massive fan of the show. Now that I have left EastEnders, I want to do other things.”
She added: “I’m finding my voice and who I am away from the script and character that I grew up playing. Everyone expects me to wear massive gold hoop earrings and have a ponytail whilst eating chicken nuggets! But I am nothing like that. I’m looking forward to using this experience to be completely myself, which nobody has seen.”
BBC
How old is Shona McGarty?
Shona McGarty is 34-years-old.
Is Shona McGarty on Instagram?
Yes – you can follow her @shonabmx
Related Stories
Is Shona McGarty in a relationship?
Based on an interview Shona did just days before entering the jungle, she’s currently engaged to Irish musician David Bracken, although rumours have been swirling that they’ve recently split.
For more on this and Shona’s full dating history, keep scrolling.
Shona McGarty’s dating history
Matt Lapinskas
Nathan Cox//Getty Images
In 2011, Shona dated her EastEnders co-star Matt Lapinskas, who played Anthony Moon on the soap.
He told Closer in 2012: “I had seen Shona on TV and always thought she had a gorgeous smile, but it is all about the personality. When I met her, we just clicked. It really was love at first sight.”
He revealed that they initially bonded over their love of music, saying: “I play the guitar and Shona is an amazing singer, so we would hang out in each other’s dressing rooms playing songs.”
They dated for two years before going their separate ways. At the time it was rumoured that they split as Matt cheated on Shona with his Dancing on Ice partner Brianne Delcourt, who he began dating shortly afterwards.
He denied this, saying in a 2014 interview that the reason for their split was due to Shona’s partying and that dating her was “like hell”.
As reported by Huffpost UK, he told The Sun: “Shona had no interest in being there for me. All she was interested in was going out partying until 2am.”
A close friend of Shona’s said at the time: “Shona has moved way past this time in her life and has no regrets or hard feelings towards either Matt or Brianne.”
Ryan Harris
Following her split from Matt, Shona started dating electrician Ryan Harris. The couple got engaged in 2018, but after six years together – including a year of being engaged – they broke up.
She later told Fabulous magazine that the split “wasn’t a bad break-up; it was amicable.”
She said: “We both came to the decision that, actually, this isn’t what we really want. It fizzled out and we weren’t the same people.”
Max Bowden
Mike Marsland//Getty Images
In 2022, Shona was romantically linked to her EastEnders co-star Max Bowden (who played Ben Mitchell).
However, according to a source, they decided “not to pursue anything romantic” after about six months.
Max became a father for the first time in September 2022, after his ex-girlfriend Roisin Buckle gave birth to a baby boy named Reginald.
Taking to Instagram, he wrote: “Reginald Buckle welcome to the world son. Born on the 19th September 2022. Greatest feeling in the world and a love like I’ve never felt. Will never get over the feeling of my son looking me in the eye for the first time.”
In June 2023, Shona revealed that her and Max are “better than ever”, saying: “It’s a friendship, we’re such in a good place.”
She added: “You take a risk, and you do something and it doesn’t work out, but that’s life, you’ve got to take that risk.”
David Bracken
Shona and Irish guitarist David Bracken met in 2023, after he messaged her on TikTok asking if she’d like to collaborate on a song. In 2024, Bracken asked Shona to marry him at London’s Holland Park.
It’s since been reported that the pair have gone their separate ways, with a source telling 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.”
However, in an interview just before entering the jungle, Shona seemed to confirm that she’s still with David, saying: “It will be the longest time my fiancé and I have been apart.”
I’m a Celebrity airs on ITV1 every night at 9pm.
Related Stories
