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I’m A Celebrity: Nella Rose’s tragic family history that saw her lose both parents in just four years

Just 19 when her mum passed away

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The sad family loss of I’m A Celebrity star Nella Rose – whose mother and father died within a short period of each other – was discussed in last night’s show.

A tense exchange between YouTuber Nella (find out more about her in her profile here) and First Dates’ Fred Sirieix came about after she perceived the French presenter’s comments about their relative age to be offensive.

She explained in the Bush Telegraph: “Last night after dinner Fred made a comment about him basically how he could be my dad. I took offence to that because one of the first conversations we had together was me opening up about the fact that my dad’s passed away.”

The social media personality has also mentioned that her mother died several years ago, when Nella was 19.

Nella Rose frowns on I'm A Celebrity
The YouTube star accused Fred Sirieix of being ‘disrespectful’ (Credit: YouTube)

Family history of I’m A Celeb star Nella Rose

Nella’s mum Eseho Omolongo and her father Kamango Paul Hollela both died within four years of each other.

Eseho passed away in August 2016, and Kamango died in May 2020.

Nella opened up about losing her mum in 2019 in one of her YouTube videos.

Heartbreakingly, she held Eseho for a final embrace during her final moments.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nella Rose (@nellarosee)

‘It is the worst thing that happened in my life’

Nella recalled in her video address: “Literally not even a month, a couple of weeks, after I turned 19 my mum passed away and it was something that you don’t expect. You don’t plan, it just happened. I didn’t wake up that day and think ‘Oh my mum is going to pass away’.

I will never get over it.

“She literally just died in my arms. It is the worst thing that happened in my life. I will never get over it. I have learned to deal with it, but I do not see myself healing from it anytime sure.”

Subsequently, Nella and her brother had to leave their council flat, and she is said to have sofa-surfed throughout uni.

“I wanted to live with my mum until I was 25,” she told followers. “I was forced to let go of that. All my friends when they left uni, they got to go back to their parents and get cooked meals, save so much money… I had to basically be alone for the rest of my life until I get married.”

Nella added: “Me, my mum and my brother used to be the three musketeers. Sometimes life is so unfair.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nella Rose (@nellarosee)

When did I’m A Celeb star Nella Rose lose her dad?

Then, in 2020, her dad Kamango also died.

In a touching tribute shared on Instagram, Nella uploaded a carousel of images of her with her dad going back to her childhood. She wrote: “Rest in Peace Daddy. Watching you suffer for the past month has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But at least you’re not in pain anymore.

“Going to make you the proudest dad ever in the years to come because I know you’re still by my side every step of the way.”

Read more: I’m A Celebrity star Nella Rose in profile – Catfish star who’s ‘single by choice’

I’m A Celebrity 2023 continues on ITV tonight (Wednesday, November 22) at 9pm.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer