I’m A Celebrity Contestant Naughty Boy’s niece has revealed to viewers what the music producer is really like outside the castle, giving more insight into his touching backstory.
The music producer has been his mother’s primary carer after she suffered a stroke five years ago and was subsequently diagnosed with dementia.
Niece Aisha Shaban told Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard: “He’s a carer for his mum who has dementia and I think due to being away from her for so long and having no contact, he must have felt really overwhelmed, really unsure as to whether she was ok, and if is he’s doing the right thing.”
READ MORE: ITV I’m a Celebrity fans shocked Naughty Boy is back after threats to leave
(Image: ITV)
The music producer has spoken about leaving the show early on and has clashed with other contestants leading to the public nominating him to take part in challenges.
A recent challenge saw Naughty Boy strapped down and covered in rats, crabs, snakes and crickets.
Aisha said she was “surprised” to see that her uncle was doing so well as she assumed he would be really “scared” having known him outside the castle.
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“I think people want to push him to his limit but I think he’s surprising us all and really he’s smashing it,” she said.
Speaking about how the family “pushed” naughty boy to do the show Aisha revealed how in real life the music producer is always thinking of others.
“He never does anything for himself,” she said. “He always puts his family first. He always forgets about doing stuff for himself.”
She explained that in regular life, if the producer had to go away on work he will “call home constantly wondering if everything’s OK.”
She said the star is “naturally just a worrier” and a “family man”.
(Image: Shutterstock/ITV)
Naughty Boy stepped away from music after his mother’s diagnosis with his appearance on the show being the first time in years that he’s been apart from her.
The disease means that his 67-year-old mum Zahida suffers from serious memory loss issues.
He told the Mirror before entering the I’m a Celeb camp: “It’s important to have priorities.”
“I wanted mum to feel like she was my priority. For two years I pushed the album aside and I’m glad I did that.”
His family has credited his mother’s condition as the reason why he might come across as overwhelmed in the castle.
Aisha says her uncle will “grow in confidence” as the show goes on and the Mirror reports that she expects him to begin raising awareness about dementia on the show, which was one of his aims when he agreed to join the castle.
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