'I'm a Celebrity' Star Shona McGarty 'Heartbroken' as She Pays Tribute to 'Warm Soul' Following Unexpected Death

She has always worn her heart on her sleeve — but the news that reached her last week was one no amount of warmth could soften.

Former "EastEnders" star and "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" favourite Shona McGarty has been left "completely shocked and heartbroken" following the sudden and unexpected death of her young friend, Dylan Gallagher-O'Sullivan.

A Tribute From the Heart

The actress shared a deeply moving tribute on Sunday, 22 March 2026, leaving fans and followers overwhelmed with grief alongside her. The post features a warm, candid photograph taken inside the Pull Inn pub in Offaly, Ireland — a cosy, wood-panelled setting lit by soft amber light.

In it, Shona stands alongside a woman in a leopard-print top and a smiling young man in a burgundy Diesel t-shirt and jeans, who fans have identified as Dylan. The trio look relaxed and happy, entirely unaware of the shadow that would one day fall over the memory.

"I am completely shocked and heartbroken to hear about lovely Dylan's passing on Friday. 💔," Shona wrote. "What a truly kind, caring, funny, and warm soul he was."

Shona spoke of Dylan as someone with a rare, natural gift — always walking into a room with a big smile and, more often than not, a song to sing. "He brought so much life, laughter, and love to the Pull Inn in Offaly," she continued, adding that she felt lucky to have shared so many happy memories with him there.

She signed off with a tender farewell, writing, "God rest your young, beautiful soul, Dylan. How I love ya. You will be deeply missed and never forgotten," before sending her love and strength to his family and friends.

How They Knew Each Other

Shona and Dylan first crossed paths at the Pull Inn pub in County Offaly — a place she came to know well during her time with ex-fiancé David Bracken, a musician who hails from the county.

A death notice shared online confirmed the tragic news. "Dylan died on March 20th 2026, unexpectedly at home. He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered," the notice read.

Dylan is survived by his parents Joy and Jimmy, his brothers Billy, Tim, Alan and Matthew, his girlfriend Meave, and a wide circle of extended family, neighbours and friends.

Fans Rally Around Shona

Followers were swift to share their own grief and support, rallying around Shona with an outpouring of love. "You'll never be forgotten dude!! Always in our hearts 💙💙," one fan declared fervently.

"Awwwh I'm sorry babe 😢💔, he'll forever be blessed to have met you, take care of yourself girl always here for you love ya 💗💗🫶🏻🫶🏻," another gushed warmly.

"I'm so, so sorry for your loss darling. May your dearest friend rest in eternal peace. 💚🙏💚," a third wrote tenderly.

Others directed their grief toward Dylan's family. "I'm so sorry for your loss thinking of you Shona and Dylan's family my thoughts and love are with you all 💔♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️," one person implored, while another mourned simply, "Heart breaking 💔 such a lovely young man."

"Rest in peace my angel so sad condolances to the parents and family. Ameen 🙏🙏 [sic]," one commenter prayed solemnly. "Thoughts goes out to his family rip young man so sad 😢," another echoed quietly.

And for Shona herself, the love was equally abundant. "Awh Shona ❤️, I hope you're okay girl! Your loved by him and he will forever be proud of you, we are all here for you! I love you gorg ❤️ xxxx, [sic]" one devoted fan gushed with unmistakeable affection

A Friend Like No Other

Those who followed Shona's journey in "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" last December won't be surprised by the depth of feeling poured into her tribute.

Her capacity for fierce, loyal friendship was arguably one of the most talked-about things to emerge from her time on the show — most notably in the bond she formed with rapper Aitch, whose real name is Harrison Armstrong. At the time, rumours swirled about a possible romance between the two — rumours that both were quick to shut down.

"To be completely honest, he came in like a rapper, but actually underneath it all, I could tell that he was quite scared of the whole experience," Shona told hosts Ant and Dec during her exit interview, having finished in third place. "He's normal, he's down to earth. We've had a similar upbringing, and I just felt like an older sister and wanted to protect him."

Aitch echoed the sentiment, telling the Mirror that the pair were "cut from the same cloth" and shared the "same sense of humour" — adding simply that any romantic suggestion was "nothing like that".

Fellow campmate Alex Scott backed this up, insisting that Aitch's admission of having a "soft spot" for Shona was simply down to watching her flourish. "We've seen her grow into this beautiful butterfly," Scott said warmly.

It is that same warmth — generous, instinctive, and utterly without agenda — that shines through every word of her tribute to Dylan.