Who is GK Barry: Everything We Know About the I'm a Celeb Star
Who is GK Barry? Here's everything you need to know about the TikTok sensation and podcast host, including details on her girlfriend and her I'm a Celeb appearance!
Grace Keeling, better known as GK Barry, became a viral sensation thanks to her hilariously relatable content and down-to-earth personality.
The internet personality, influencer and presenter is set to join I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here as part of the star-studded 2024 line up, so we wanted to dig into everything there is to know about the social media star and Pretty Little Thing Ambassador.
Who is GK Barry?
- How Old is GK Barry?
- Who is GK Barry Dating?
- How Tall is GK Barry?
- What's GKBarry's Real Name?
- GK Barry Tour
- GK Barry's Podcast
- GK Barry & Pretty Little Thing
She is known online as GK Barry, but was born Grace Keeling, and rose to fame during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she made TikTok videos about her daily life as a student at Nottingham Trent University and gained a million followers in a year.
She hosts a podcast called Saving Grace, and boasts over 3.6 million followers on TikTok, as well as over 60,000 subscribers on YouTube and nearly a million followers on Instagram.
GK Barry has appeared on numerous programmes, including becoming the youngest ever Loose Women panellist.
She’s made no secret of wanting to grow her profile, telling OK! of her ambitions to be the female Alan Carr with her own chat show - something taking part in I’m a Celeb can definitely help with.
In early 2024 she took her podcast on a second sell-out tour around the UK.
Whilst studying for her degree, she worked on the set of BBC soap Doctors, and also created video content for ShawMind and Nottinghamshire Police. She also helped the Nottingham Women’s Centre to rebrand their business whilst studying for her masters degree in digital marketing.
She chose the TikTok name @GKBarry as it was based on her initials - Grace Keeling - and borrowed the last name Barry from a friend, to avoid her real identity becoming public.
As well as I’m a Celebrity, GK Barry has also appeared on ITV2 CelebAbility, and The Wheel and The Weakest Link on BBC One, amongst other TV appearances.
She is also a Pretty Little Thing ambassador.
How Old is GK Barry?
GK Barry was born on 12th August 1999, making her 25 years old. She was born in Cambridge in the UK, but lived in the British Virgin Islands from the age of two until eight, where she returned to England.
She completed a film studies degree and a masters degree in digital marketing at Nottingham Trent University during the pandemic.
Who is GK Barry Dating?
In recent years, GK Barry has become more open about her relationships and love life, sparking more curiosity from her fans.
She is in a relationship with footballer Ella Rutherford, and has been open with her fans about how it’s her first relationship with a woman, but she doesn’t see herself going back to men now.
The couple first met through Instagram, with GK Barry telling former Love Island star Anna Vakili on TikTok: "I saw her Instagram and I thought 'hello!'".
She was reluctant to reveal her girlfriend’s identity at first, calling her by the codename ‘eyelashes’ on her podcast, but spoke glowingly about their relationship, saying: “I'm in love. And yeah, it has been three weeks, but that's fine. That's absolutely fine. She came to me like a dream, and I was obsessed.
“I feel like I've been missing out. I feel like I went very wrong with men. I don't like men anymore. I will never go back to a man. God forbid. Yeah, I just love it. I just love it.
“I feel like I've got spring in my step. I feel like I'm glowing. It's the lesbian glow. I've got it. And yeah, that's my life update.”
There’s been lots of speculation that GK Barry had secretly married girlfriend Ella Rutherford, as she frequently refers to herself as a ‘full time WAG [wife and girlfriend]’ and as ‘wifed up’, but she later took to her social accounts to deny the rumours and confirm that is just how she refers to her girlfriend!
Who is Ella Rutherford?
Ella Rutherford is GK Barry's girlfriend. She is an English footballer and currently plays as a forward for the London City Lionesses.
She was born on 28th December, 1999, making her 25 years old. Ella has previously played for Bristol City and Charlton Athletic. She's recently gained more attention, not just due to her sporting prowess, but because of her relationship with social media star GK Barry.
The pair apparently met through Instagram and GK Barry frequently discusses the positive impact girlfriend Ella has had on her life - despite them originally planning to keep the relationship low-key. GK Barry and Ella's relationship is popular with their fans, who enjoy seeing the content they make together and hearing more about their lives together.
Is GK Barry Single?
It's pretty clear that GK Barry is not single, and is super loved up with girlfriend Ella Rutherford. If you were wondering if GK Barry has a boyfriend, you couldn't be further from the truth. She has said that whilst she has dated men in the past, she can't see herself going back, as her relationship with her girlfriend has been 'life-changing'.
GK Barry on I'm a Celeb
It's been officially confirmed that GK Barry is heading to the jungle for the 2024 edition of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
The social media star commented: "I haven’t slept in a month. I am scared of the trials and I am genuinely scared of everything. The eating trial to me is the worst thing you can do to a human being. You also don’t know who you are going to click with either but hopefully after the first week, I will settle in nicely."
She also revealed that she's left something behind for girlfriend Ella - a cardboard cut-out of herself! She said: "My girlfriend is also very excited for me and thinks I will do really well. I have got her a cardboard cut out of me so it’s not weird when I am away."
What is GK Barry's Real Name?
GK Barry, also known as GKBarry, was born Grace Keeling. When she began posting content online, she adopted the alias GK Barry, using the 'GK' from the initials of her real name, and borrowing the last name of her friend Tatiana Barry. Since she has grown in fame, her real identity is no longer a secret, but she continues to use the name GK Barry.
How Tall is GK Barry?
According to GK Barry, she is 6"3. She often makes humorous videos about how tall she is and talks about the 'tall girl problems' she experiences from being over six foot tall.
GK Barry on Tour
You might be wondering if you can see GK Barry on tour. She did complete a sell-out tour across the UK in 2024 for her podcast, Saving Grace, further solidifying her popularity. It's unclear when she will next go on tour - particularly as she's likely to be wrapped up in I'm a Celeb over the coming weeks!
GK Barry's Podcast: Saving Grace
Grace Keeling aka GK Barry hosts the podcast Saving Grace, which is available on YouTube as well as other podcast streaming platforms. She digs into a range of topics, and leans into her humorous, unfiltered style when hosting.
She discusses pop culture moments, current events and celeb news, as well as her own life moments and insights into her relationship. She's joined by guests - typically influencers, celebrities and internet personalities - for open and entertaining conversations.
The podcast is successful due to GK Barry's relatable humour and her willingness to be open about her own life and experiences. There is a no-holds-barred approach and nothing seems to be off-limits! Her interviews have a laidback but lively feel, and the successful format recently resulted in a sold out UK tour.
GK Barry & Pretty Little Thing
As well as being a podcaster and a social media star, GK Barry is also a Pretty Little Thing ambassador. She curates edits for the fashion brand, and caused quite a stir with her statement outfit at the most recent PLT party. GK Barry has hosted Christmas and Halloween parties for PLT and creates lots of content on her TikTok about her experiences getting ready for, and hosting the parties.
Due to her popularity with younger audiences, she’s sure to bring a fresh audience to I’m a Celeb, and we can’t wait to see how she gets on with her fellow camp-mates, including Love Island’s Maura Higgins.
