Boy George’s real name has been revealed, as has the reason he changed it.
The 61-year-old, who is currently in the Australian jungle for I’m A Celebrity, adopted his stage name in the eighties after founding Culture Club.
What is Boy George’s real name?
For those who don’t know, Boy George‘s real name isn’t actually Boy George.
The 61-year-old singer-songwriter’s real name is far more ordinary than you could imagine.
Before he took the world by storm with his pop band Culture Club, Boy George was known simply as George Alan O’Dowd.
But why did the music legend change his name in the first place?
Boy George simply chose the name as a stage name after forming Culture Club in 1981. The band’s name was chosen to reflect its members’ various ethnic backgrounds.
Prior to being in Culture Club, Boy George was part of a group called Bow Wow Wow.
When performing with Bow Wow Wow, Boy George went under a different stage name entirely – Lieutenant Lush.
However, Boy George’s stint with Bow Wow Wow proved to be very short-lived, with him leaving the band pretty swiftly in 1981.
Boy George real name
Back in 2014, during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Boy George spoke about whether he’d ever change his name now he’s older.
It’s safe to say the star was firmly against the idea.
When asked if he’d ever change his name to Man George, he said: “I didn’t want to confuse people by becoming The Artist Formerly Known as.”
“Boy George is a brand that I created and is familiar to people. Heaven knows they’ve had enough confusion,” he continued.
“I’m not deluded. I know I’m an older man, but I’m a boy at heart. Life is about learning to be yourself, and I think I’ve gone in this interesting full circle. In spirit, I’m very much back to the person I was when I first started my career.”
Star to be given worst trials?
In other news, the star is reportedly set to be in for a tough time in the jungle, perhaps even worse than his campmates.
Boy George is vegetarian, meaning he won’t be able to eat some of the vile, meaty bushtucker meals.
However, that doesn’t mean he’s in for an easier ride than his campmates.
According to the show’s executive producer, the star’s veggie bushtucker options are arguably even worse than the usual bushtucker meals.
“We have always got alternatives if people are vegan or vegetarian and either need to eat in camp, and don’t want to eat the main meal, or for the trials,” Olly Nash told The Mirror.
Discussing Boy George’s veggie bushtucker trials, he said: “It’s actually, weirdly, more stinky and more gross than eating the meat products.”
Read more: I’m A Celeb 2022: Boy George defended after man he chained to wall slams ITV and ‘record fee’
I’m A Celebrity continues tonight (Monday, November 7) at 9pm on ITV and ITV Hub.
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.