We’re a week into this year’s series of I’m A Celebrity and fans have been thoroughly enjoying the antics of social media sensation and podcast host GK Barry, thanks to her sharp humour and eagerness to participate in the trials.
Her rising popularity appears to be mirrored online as she’s gained the most new Instagram followers among all her fellow campmates.
Data compiled by Digital PR Tips reveals that GK Barry, whose real name is Grace Eleanor Keeling, has amassed 79,653 new followers after the first week of the show.
She began with a follower count of 881,878 on the social media platform, which has now risen to 961,531, indicating that it won’t be long before she reaches the significant milestone of one million followers.
In second place is none other than Wagatha Christie herself, Coleen Rooney, who has seen an increase of 55,074, while former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos has attracted 54,304 new followers, reports OK!.
Completing the top five are latecomer Maura Higgins with 49,559 new followers and Radio 1 presenter Dean McCullough with 37,068. At the tail end of the group is Reverend Richard Coles, with only 1,179 new followers on his page.
Grace rose to fame as a TikTok star in 2020 during lockdown and surpassed one million followers just a year after creating her account. She launched her podcast Saving Grace in 2022 and has since taken the podcast on tour around the UK.
Earlier this year, she made history as the youngest ever Loose Women panellist to join the line-up and is hoping her popularity on I’m A Celebrity will propel her career to new heights.
Grace is set to be spoilt for choice with opportunities when she leaves the jungle, as it’s predicted she’ll be inundated with solo and joint offers with her girlfriend Ella Rutherford.
Dermot McNamara, founder of talent agency Candid, told OK!: “Loose Women was a great starting point for her to expand into the world of TV and it’s likely ITV is viewing her as their “next big star”.”
He added: “A spin-off show with her girlfriend Ella could be on the horizon like a fly-on-the-wall reality series. Commercial deals, which GK already does, could come in thick and fast, too.
“She’s already commercially friendly and viable she’s worked with Pretty Little Thing, is the face of Wagamama and has a jewellery line. It’s likely she’ll have her pick of anything.”
Grace didn’t have an easy start in the jungle after being picked for the very first Bushtucker trial.
The audience voted for her to take on the challenge after witnessing her scream while plunging her hands into a hole filled with critters during the leaders challenge on her arrival at camp.
However, she put on a stellar performance and managed to secure eight stars for her fellow campmates.
For more information on the data, visit Digital PR Tips.I’m A Celebrity continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX followed by I’m A Celebrity: Unpacked after the main show on ITV2.