Declan Donnelly, co-host of "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!," shared his grief over the passing of football icon Kevin Keegan, who died on July 20 at the age of 75 following a battle with stomach cancer.
Donnelly became visibly emotional during a recent episode of his podcast, "Hanging Out," with his long-time television partner Ant McPartlin, as he spoke about the significance of Keegan, particularly to the people of the North East of England. "I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear when I heard the news," Donnelly said. "He just meant so much to the people of the North East."
He recounted a particularly cherished childhood memory of winning a competition at age six or seven to play football with Keegan. Donnelly described the experience as "the best" and highlighted Keegan's personal interaction with each child, including photographs and arm-around-shoulder moments, calling him an exception to the adage about not meeting one's heroes.
McPartlin also shared his memories of Keegan, referring to him as a "true legend of the game" and "a true legend to Newcastle United supporters." He recalled an instance where Keegan joined Donnelly and himself for a spontaneous photo at a Newcastle United kit launch, describing Keegan as "just the loveliest man."
Keegan, a two-time Ballon d'Or winner, had been diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer in January. His family released a statement confirming his passing, noting he was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments and expressing gratitude to his medical team while requesting privacy. He is survived by his wife, Jean, two daughters, Laura and Sarah, and grandchildren.
Keegan had a distinguished career, earning 63 caps for England and scoring 21 goals. He also managed the England national team and had a significant impact as a manager for Newcastle United, where he is credited with saving the club during a critical period.