Aitch Finally Addresses the Shona McGarty Romance Rumours — and Reveals What Really Happened in the Jungle
For weeks, fans were convinced that a new celebrity romance was blossoming deep in the Australian jungle.
Flirty banter. Playful wrestling. Shared laughs under the campfire glow.
But now, fresh out of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, rapper Aitch has spoken publicly for the first time — and he’s shutting down the speculation once and for all.
“She’s not my jungle girlfriend — she’s my mate.”
Aitch, 25, finished the competition in an unexpected fourth-place exit that shocked viewers. But the biggest shock came after he left camp, when he revealed the truth behind his much-discussed connection with EastEnders star Shona McGarty.
“No, there’s nothing romantic there,” he said plainly.
“Shona’s just a solid friend. We clicked because we laugh at the same things, and we both love music. That’s really it.”
And just like that, the jungle love story fans were rooting for faded into something quieter, simpler — friendship.
A Musical Bond, Not a Romantic One
Shona, who recently released her first single, discovered she shared an unexpected artistic rhythm with Aitch. Inside the jungle, where boredom hits hard and conversation becomes survival, that musical connection became a lifeline.
“It was basically me, Shona and Martin Kemp talking music every day,” Aitch explained.
“We just vibed creatively — that doesn’t mean we’re dating.”
He also admitted he has no idea how their interactions were edited for TV.
“I haven’t watched it back,” he laughed. “I don’t know if they made it look like a rom-com or what.”
The Infamous Play-Fight and Why Fans Misread It
Viewers were especially drawn to one viral moment: Aitch wrapping his legs around Shona during a roughhousing session.
The internet went wild. Shipping accounts were born. Even tabloids chimed in.
Aitch, however, is unfazed.
“People want a story,” he joked.
“And since Shona obviously isn’t going to be linked to Martin — he’s married — I guess that leaves me.”
He doubled down:
“No spark. No flirting. She’s just a good friend.”
The Friendship That Kept Him Grounded: Aitch & Angry Ginge
While the Shona rumours stole headlines, Aitch says his deepest jungle comfort came from someone else entirely — his real-life mate and fellow Mancunian, Angry Ginge.
“Just knowing he was there made it feel less overwhelming,” he said.
“We didn’t even have to talk much — it was just that familiarity.”
For Aitch, friendship, not romance, defined his experience.
The Moment He Nearly Quit
Even fan favourites crack.
“There was a day when I almost pressed the button,” Aitch confessed.
“I went into the Bush Telegraph thinking: ‘They need to come get me. I’m done.’”
But every low point was short-lived.
“Something always happened to bring the energy back up. The dips were small — the highs were massive.”
What Comes Next for Aitch
Now that he’s out of the jungle, Aitch isn’t slowing down. His music career continues to accelerate, and the connections he made on the show — especially with Shona — are likely to continue off-screen.
Just not romantically.
But will fans accept that?
Or will the Shona + Aitch fantasy live on?
Only time (and social media) will tell.