Dean Gaffney: is ex EastEnders star in a relationship, does he have children, what did he say on I'm a Celebrity?

EastEnders stars Dean Gaffney and Joe Swash joined the cast of I’m A Celebrity South Africa this week
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Dean Gaffney joined Joe Swash as late entries into I’m A Celebrity South Africa. The EastEnders alumni faced a nasty drinking trial before joining the rest of their celebrity campmates.

Gaffney became famous for playing Robbie Jackson on EastEnders from 1993 to 2003. The star was given a 10.5% chance of winning the All Stars series following his late arrival on Tuesday. Joe Swash, who played Mickey Miller on the soap from 2003-2008, has odds of 28.5%.

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Dean first appeared on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Back in 2006, finishing in fifth place. He is now looking to take the first I’m A Celebrity ‘Legend’ title in the South African spin-off of the show. 

Dean GaffneyDean Gaffney
Dean Gaffney

Does Dean Gaffney have children?

The actor currently lives in Hertfordshire and has twin daughters from his relationship with Sarah Burge. The daughters, Charlotte and Chloe are 26 years old.

He became a grandfather for the first time at the age of 43 when Chloe gave birth to her first baby, Mimi. In January 2023, he became a grandad for the second time with the birth of Chloe’s second child, Penelope.

The actor revealed the happy news via his Instagram account, sharing a photo of his first granddaughter Mimi holding an ultrasound scan. He captioned the photo: "So Mimi, you’re telling me I’m going to be a grandad for the second time!"

Dean Gaffney and Rebekah Ward in 2018Dean Gaffney and Rebekah Ward in 2018
Dean Gaffney and Rebekah Ward in 2018

Is Dean Gaffney in a relationship?

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Gaffney’s longest relationship was with his Sarah Burge, his childhood sweetheart and the mother of his children - the pair met when they were 15 and dated for 22 years, eventually getting engaged. However, Gaffney had cheated on Sarah several times during their relationship, even telling fellow campmate David Guest that he had been unfaithful during his first run on I’m A Celebrity. It was also revealed that Dean had had an 18-month affair with hairdresser Sasha Levy. Sarah eventually left Dean in 2015.

Following his split from Burge, he began dating model Rebekah Ward in 2016, who was 25 at the time, though she dumped him after three years together. Other women that Dean is rumoured to have been involved with include pornstar Linsey Dawn McKenzie, dancer Maddie Stephens, and Celebrity Big Brother star Alicia Douvall. 

After breaking up with Rebekah, he took part in the reality show Celebs Go Dating, where his friend Tony Truman told him that he shouldn’t date women his daughters’ age. But the advice wasn’t taken to heart as Dean was rumoured in March 2022 to be involved with Russian model Valerina who, 25 at the time and 19 years Dean’s junior, is the same age as his daughters.

It seems that things didn't work out between Dean and Valerina, and currently it looks like he is not dating anyone. His social media contains mostly snaps of his daughters and granddaughters, as well as celeb friends like Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi, rather than any new women in his life.

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