GK Barry’s girlfriend Ella Rutherford has spoken out about the presenter’s absence from I’m A Celebrity and shared details about their ‘awkward’ kiss on the bridge.
The presenter, 25, whose real name is Grace Keeling, finished fifth and was evicted on day 20 of the competition, while McFly’s Danny Jones won the ITV show.
Talking about the latest episode of Grace’s Saving Grace Podcast On Wednesday, Ella said: “I tried to stay calm, but I was actually in hell.” I don’t want that to happen again.
‘I was a shell of myself. My mother was worried about my health, my mental health.’
She went on to explain how Grace managed to ruin the surprise of their meeting on the bridge by repeatedly asking producers if she was there.
Grace said: ‘I managed to find out that Ella had flown away. Before I left I didn’t know if she would come or not because they would allow her to play football.”
GK Barry’s girlfriend Ella Rutherford has spoken out about the presenter’s absence from I’m A Celebrity and shared details about their ‘awkward’ kiss on the bridge.
The presenter, 25, whose real name is Grace Keeling, finished fifth and was evicted on day 20 of the competition, while McFly’s Danny Jones won the ITV show.
The presenter then described their reunion and revealed: “The woman before I went up (to the bridge) told me: ‘Three-second hug, turn to the cameras.’ So in my head I thought: ‘Three-second hug.'”
“So I said to Ella, ‘Turn around,’ and she said, ‘No.'” Grace laughed as she told the story.
She added, “I was like, ‘No,’ because I literally hadn’t seen you.”
Grace chimed in, “I know, and then we had a really awkward kiss on the bridge.”
She responded: ‘Oh honey, the fact that they broadcast that is also a crime on the part of everyone involved.’ Grace laughed and added, “I was squeezing your head.”
She also explained her nervousness when climbing the bridge: ‘I had to hold on to the railing because I thought it was going to collapse beneath me.
“If you look back at it, you’ll see that I grabbed the railing before I saw you because I was shitting myself.”
However, reflecting on the moment, Ella gushed: “That was truly the best day of my life. Nothing will ever surpass that feeling.
Speaking on the latest episode of Grace’s Saving Grace podcast on Wednesday, Ella said: “I tried to hold my ground, but I was actually in hell.” I don’t want that to happen again
The presenter then described their reunion and revealed: “The woman before I went up (to the bridge) told me: ‘Three-second hug, turn to the cameras.’ So in my head I thought: ‘Three-second hug.'”
However, reflecting on the moment, Ella gushed: “That was truly the best day of my life. Nothing will beat that feeling
Grace and Ella on the I’m A Celeb Bridge
—Although I was quite sad, very sad. And the first thing you said when you came down was, “Do you still love me?” And I was like, “I’m literally here.”
Grace admitted: “When I was there, I had dreams about you cheating on me and all kinds of stuff. I didn’t know what you were doing.”
She reassured her: ‘Honey, you didn’t know I was crying and crying again in my bed.
“Every night I put the dogs and cats in bed just to fill the void.”
It comes after months of keeping her girlfriend’s identity a secret, Grace finally opened up about her relationship and even brought a subtle reminder of her to the I’m A Celebrity camp during her recent stint on the show.
Fans also spotted a sweet dedication to the Ipswich football star on GK’s nails, as he has a small white E on his nail where a wedding ring would go.
Before heading into the jungle, she got a set of French tip nails and asked the manicurist to paint them an E for Ella.
Speaking at the camp, the social media star said: “Obviously online I’d been like I’d slept with girls or something but I’d only dated guys.”
The couple reunited in early 2024.
‘It was by accident that I found Ella, through a mutual friend and then I really liked her the first day I met her, but I never told my parents.
“I mentioned, ‘Oh, I’m just going to see my friend Ella,’ or ‘I’m staying at Ella’s house,’ so they would hear her name.”
After her parents visited London from Cambridge and saw them together, they asked who Ella was and Grace confessed: ‘Oh. She is my girlfriend.’ “They just love her, they never had any problem with that.”
She added: “To be fair, I feel like the cupboard could have been made of glass.” But they’ve always said who you end up with we don’t care, boy or girl we don’t care, as long as they’re not idiots.’
The Loose Women panelist had previously been in a long-term relationship with TikTok sensation Billy Hunt, who appeared on her podcast, Saving Grace, and on her social media pages.
Gogglebox’s Joe Baggs introduced the couple and, speaking about how they met, Grace said: “So my side of the story. Joe Baggs had a party. (Billy was) the only straight guy there, (I) threw myself at him .It has gone down in history since then.
The couple split in 2022 and Grace spoke on Young Filly’s about coming out as a lesbian, saying: “I feel like I was so wrong about men.” I don’t like men anymore.
‘I will never go back to a man. God forbid. Yes, I just love it. I love it. I feel like I have spring in my step. I feel like I’m shining. It’s the lesbian glow. I have it. And yes, that’s the update of my life.”