Rayohits radioentertainmentcelebrity

I'm A Celeb's James McVey is engaged after help from Harry Redknapp

They bonded in the jungle

Author: Emma DoddsPublished 14th Jan 2019
Last updated 15th Jan 2019

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! 2018 star James McVey has become engaged to his girlfriend Kirstie Brittain! The singer and guitarist, who is well known for being in band The Vamps and took part in I'm A Celebrity last year, popped the question on a weekend break after the New Year in the Lake District.

James, who has been with Kirstie for five years, admitted that he'd sought advice from King of the Jungle Harry Redknapp, who he grew very close to during their stint in Australia - so much so, that he invited Harry to come and see the ring before he proposed.

Speaking to Hello! magazine, James revealed, "Harry said he knew a really good jeweller whenever I was ready to do it and I thought, ‘I may as well just do it’. By the time Harry arrived I had already chosen the ring; as soon as I saw it I knew it was the one. And Harry loved it too."

Model Kirstie opened up about the moment James got down on one knee, confessing that she didn't know what he was doing to begin with as he had the box at "a funny angle".

"I kept saying, 'are you joking?' And he hadn’t actually asked me to marry him because he was crying," she said, as James added, "She said, 'Aren’t you going to ask me then?’ So I did."

Swipe through to see which celebrities got engaged in 2018...

Helen Flanagan and Scott Sinclair

Celtic FC footballer Scott Sinclair proposed to Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan in Disneyland, just weeks before the couple's second child was due to arrive.

I'm A Celeb's James McVey is engaged after help from Harry Redknapp
2 of 18

Caroline Flack and Andrew Brady

Despite only being together for a number of months, former Celebrity Big Brother star Andrew Brady popped the question to Love Island host Caroline Flack in April.

James also announced the engagement on his Instagram profile, sharing a snap of himself with his new fiancée with the beautiful caption, "In the words of Noah, ‘The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds."

'Kirstie has taught me to love, to listen and to learn. She’s taught me confidence, bravery and positivity. She’s truly given me something to value and cherish. I’m forever grateful. Here’s to the rest of our lives together.'

James and Harry have kept up their friendship that blossomed in the jungle, even going on a double date recently, as James shared a snap of the two friends along with Harry's wife Sandra and James' now fiancée Kirstie.

He simply captioned the snap, 'Starting the weekend right', as unsurprisingly, many fans commented on the photo to say how much they loved seeing the pair spend time together.

This comes after James appeared on Loose Women back in December last year and revealed that Harry's marriage with Sandra had been the thing to push him into proposing, telling the panel, "Harry and Sandra are the true love story. It’s very easy for us all to think it doesn’t exist. But it really does. They met when they were 17, courted for four years, then got married.

"They’re definitely the example that’s made me realise Kirstie and I are very happy with what we’ve got and we want to kind of do it really. He’s given me the inspiration to take the next step."

Congratulations to the couple!

NOW WATCH: The Vamps discuss James McVey's I'm A Celebrity stint

Turn it up with Hits Radio! Home of Fleur East, Sam Thompson and Gemma Atkinson playing the biggest hits and the biggest throwbacks, alongside the biggest laughs and life-changing competitions. Tune in on FM, DAB, online, ask your Smart Speaker to 'Play Hits Radio' and download the Rayo app.