I’m A Celebrity’s Tony Bellew left fans in tears as he revealed his secret family heartbreak ahead of jetting to Australia on Monday’s Good Morning Britain.
The former boxer, 41, came second in Sunday night’s final where Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson was crowned King Of The Jungle.
In his first chat since leaving the camp Tony appeared on GMB where he told he was ‘going through a lot’ before entering the Jungle when he lost his ‘beautiful nan’.
Tony told hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls: ‘In the camp you have good days and bad days and lonely days, I was going through a little bit before I went in there in my personal life.
‘I lost my nan, my beautiful nan. On top of that I missed my son’s birthday which I promised him after I retired I’d never do that again, and I did so there was so much going on.’
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 2 I'm A Celebrity 's Tony Bellew left fans in tears as he revealed his secret family heartbreak ahead of jetting to Australia on Monday's Good Morning Britain](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819349-12849987-image-a-121_1702296790674.jpg)
I’m A Celebrity ‘s Tony Bellew left fans in tears as he revealed his secret family heartbreak ahead of jetting to Australia on Monday’s Good Morning Britain
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 4 In his first chat since leaving the camp Tony appeared on GMB where he told he was 'going through a lot' before entering the Jungle when he lost his 'beautiful nan'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819389-12849987-In_his_first_chat_since_leaving_the_camp_Tony_appeared_on_GMB_wh-a-122_1702296808843.jpg)
In his first chat since leaving the camp Tony appeared on GMB where he told he was ‘going through a lot’ before entering the Jungle when he lost his ‘beautiful nan’
Fans of the show were in ‘tears’ following his TV appearance as one wrote on Twitter: ‘Bloody hell this interview with Tony has me in tears.’
A second said: ‘I never knew tony until he went in the jungle. He’s a down to earth lad.’
He also told how he went on the show after being persuaded by a friend as he added: ‘The persona of me is I’m a maniac who punches people in the face.
‘The truth is I’m a normal person, the only difference is I used to punch people in the face for a living, that’s gone, it’s been five years since that.’
Tony added of his perseverance in the Jungle: ‘I will never quit no matter how hard it gets, and I’m not going to lie it gets hard in there.’
It was previously revealed that Tony found out his beloved nan, Rose, died the day before he signed up for the ITV reality show in Australia.
He said he only committed to flying out to Australia once he confirmed he could be home in time for her funeral.
Paying tribute, he told The Liverpool Echo: ‘She was in a home. And she told my mum ‘I’ll be able to watch that [I’m A Celeb] every night’.
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 6 Tony told hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls: 'In the camp you have good days and bad days and lonely days, I was going through a little bit before I went in there in my personal life'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819351-12849987-Tony_told_hosts_Susanna_Reid_and_Ed_Balls_In_the_camp_you_have_g-a-124_1702296832602.jpg)
Tony told hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls: ‘In the camp you have good days and bad days and lonely days, I was going through a little bit before I went in there in my personal life’
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 8 78819853 12849987 image a 149 1702297547185](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819853-12849987-image-a-149_1702297547185.jpg)
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 10 78819855 12849987 image a 150 1702297549409](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819855-12849987-image-a-150_1702297549409.jpg)
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 12 Fans of the show were in 'tears' following his TV appearance as one wrote on Twitter : 'Bloody hell this interview with Tony has me in tears'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819857-12849987-image-a-151_1702297552543.jpg)
Fans of the show were in ‘tears’ following his TV appearance as one wrote on Twitter : ‘Bloody hell this interview with Tony has me in tears’
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 14 He said: 'I lost my nan, my beautiful nan. On top of that I missed my son's birthday which I promised him after I retired I'd never do that again, and I did so there was so much going on'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819391-12849987-He_said_I_lost_my_nan_my_beautiful_nan_On_top_of_that_I_missed_m-m-127_1702296870996.jpg)
He said: ‘I lost my nan, my beautiful nan. On top of that I missed my son’s birthday which I promised him after I retired I’d never do that again, and I did so there was so much going on’
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 16 It was previously revealed that Tony found out his beloved nan, Rose, died the day before he signed up for the ITV reality show in Australia](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819393-12849987-It_was_previously_revealed_that_Tony_found_out_his_beloved_nan_R-a-129_1702296906266.jpg)
It was previously revealed that Tony found out his beloved nan, Rose, died the day before he signed up for the ITV reality show in Australia
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 18 Speaking about her death on Instagram at the time he shared snaps with her and penned: 'Goodnight Nan! I'll love you forever girl'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819387-12849987-Speaking_about_her_death_on_Instagram_at_the_time_he_shared_snap-a-135_1702297173182.jpg)
Speaking about her death on Instagram at the time he shared snaps with her and penned: ‘Goodnight Nan! I’ll love you forever girl’
‘So yeah, it is what it is. She’ll be watching, you know, from wherever she is and whatever she’s doing. She was a diamond of an old lady. She was wonderful.’
Speaking about her death on Instagram at the time he shared snaps with her and penned: ‘Goodnight Nan! I’ll love you forever girl. An amazing mother to me Mum in what I can only imagine was a difficult time.
‘You carried me and my 3 brothers like we was yours! I can’t lie it was like having 2 Mums! You always put us straight and told us off! You was the boss of our house… 97 years old! You was a lady and a boss right to the end… I love you Nan.’
It came after Tony Bellew enjoyed a sweet reunion with his family after finishing in second place in Sunday night’s finale.
The champion boxer was given a hero’s welcome at the Marriott Gold Coast Resort as he arrived with his wife Rachael, 40, and their children Corey, 18, Cobey, 15, Carter, 11, and Carson, three.
Carrying his youngest son in his arms, Tony looked overwhelmed as he made his way inside, where the rest of the year’s cast were waiting.
Still dressed in his jungle outfit, Tony held on tight to Carson, who along with his brothers was given permission to be absent from school in Liverpool to fly out to Australia to greet their dad.
Sunday night’s final saw Tony’s close friend Thompson beat him to the King of the Jungle title, with Nigel Farage finishing in third place.
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 20 He said he only committed to flying out to Australia once he confirmed he could be home in time for her funeral](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819359-12849987-He_said_he_only_committed_to_flying_out_to_Australia_once_he_con-m-132_1702296936335.jpg)
He said he only committed to flying out to Australia once he confirmed he could be home in time for her funeral
![Tony Bellew, from I'm A Celeb, reveals devastating family heartbreak before heading to Australia, leaving fans emotional: 'I was struggling' 22 The former boxer, 41, came second in Sunday night's final where Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson was crowned King Of The Jungle](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/11/12/78819523-12849987-image-a-133_1702296945877.jpg)
The former boxer, 41, came second in Sunday night’s final where Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson was crowned King Of The Jungle