Gillian McKeith on I'm A Celebrity South Africa
News

Gillian McKeith’s daughter reveals how fame impacted her dating life

Growing up with mum as 'poo lady' wasn't easy

| Updated:

The daughter of Gillian McKeith has confessed her mum’s fame affected her love life.

The You Are What You Eat star became the first to be voted off I’m A Celebrity… South Africa series alongside Shaun Ryder. Her daughters spoke out about their mum after her exit from the show. Gillian, 63, has two grown up daughters, Skylar, 28, and 23-year-old Afton.

Both spoke out about growing up with a mum famous for studying people’s stools on TV. Afton struggled when she began dating because of her mum’s fame.

Gillian McKeith poses for I'm A Celebrity South Africa
Gillian McKeith was on I’m A Celebrity… South Africa (Credit: ITV)

Gillian McKeith daughter

She told the Mirror: “I get nervous dating men from England as they know my mum from TV. I stopped going out with them because it was too weird.”

Scottish-born Gillian shot to fame presenting Channel 4’s You Are What You Eat from 2004 to 2006. In the show she studied people’s tongues, skin, urine and poo to determine underlying health issues. Her book sold two million copies in a year as well as becoming the most borrowed book in libraries.

She’s just misunderstood.

Her rise to fame came at a price for her children

However, becoming famous as ‘the poo lady’ had a detrimental affect on her daughter Skylar’s life. The lawyer has spoken about how she was bullied relentlessly at secondary school.

Gillian McKeith on I'm A Celebrity South Africa
Gillian appeared on the South African version of I’m A Celebrity (Credit: ITV)

In addition, Skylar said: “I was at secondary school in London and I had people shouting down the hallway, ‘Skylar, I saw your mum sniffing poo on TV last night’. They were horrible and made fun of me. I really struggled. One day, a boy pushed me against a wall and held a lighter to my face. I was like, ‘I’m done’, and was homeschooled for a bit.”

Meanwhile, Skylar joined Gillian in South Africa for the ITV show when it was filmed last year. She added: “People have got her wrong – she’s not an irritating woman. They don’t know the real her…she’s misunderstood and a wonderful mum.”

Gillian famously fainted when she originally appeared on I’m A Celebrity in 2010.

Read more: ‘Disappointed’ Gillian McKeith hits out at I’m A Celeb South Africa format as she hints jungle comeback

YouTube video player

What did you think of Gillian’s appearance on I’m A Celeb? Let us know over on our Facebook page @entertainmentdailyfix.