Skip to main contentSkip to footer
boy george im a celeb itv© Photo: ITV

Who is I'm a Celeb star Boy George and what is his real name?

The singer is a contestant in this year's series

Nicky Morris
TV and film writer
November 6, 2022
Share this:

Boy George is just one of the 12 famous faces heading Down Under for the new series of ITV's I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! - and we can't wait to see how he fares in the jungle.

MORE: Matt Hancock's hidden health condition rules him out of Bushtucker trials

Find out everything you need to know about the pop icon here, including what his real name is…

WATCH: I'm a Celebrity's 2022 line-up: Meet the contestants

Who is I'm A Celeb's Boy George? 

Boy George is an English singer, songwriter, and DJ, perhaps best known for fronting the pop band, Culture Club. 

The star was born on 14 June 1961 in Kent and raised in Eltham by his builder father Jerry O'Dowd and mother Dinah O'Dowd in a working-class Irish Catholic family. He is one of five children. 

Culture Club are known for releasing a number of hit singles during the height of their fame in the 1980s, including Karma Chameleon, Do You Really Want to Hurt Me and Time (Clock of the Heart).

MORE: Mike Tindall reveals who convinced him to finally take part on I’m a Celebrity

MORE: I'm a Celebrity 2022: See the full line-up for the new series

Boy George also enjoyed a solo career away from the band following its dissolution in 1986, releasing a number of hit singles, including Everything I Own and To Be Reborn. 

Boy George performing© Photo: Getty Images

Boy George is known for fronting the pop group Culture Club

The 61-year-old is a man of many talents and has also made a name for himself in the world of fashion, launching his clothing line B Rude in 2005. 

He also made TV appearances on shows such as Real Housewives Of Beverley Hills, The Voice UK, and The Voice Australia

What is Boy George's real name? 

Boy George's real name is George Alan O'Dowd. He chose the stage name Boy George after forming Culture Club in 1981. The band's name was chosen to reflect the members' various ethnic backgrounds. 

Before founding Culture Club, George was part of a group called Bow Wow Wow and went under the stage name Lieutenant Lush. 

What has Boy George said about joining the I'm A Celeb line-up? 

Compared to touring the world, Boy George thinks his stint in the jungle will be a breeze. He told ITV: "It's just three weeks without any make-up on."

"My biggest fear is being scared and the trials are not something I am particularly excited about.

The Im A Celeb 2022 cast© Photo: ITV

The I'm A Celeb 2022 line-up

"I will just laugh. I know they won’t want to hurt me. But I don’t want to be bored either and I will try to get the stars for everyone.

"I think I will be the in-house dietician when I am in the camp because I will be telling everyone they aren’t going to let us starve. I will be telling everyone to calm down."

Like this story? Sign up to our What to Watch newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up to Off Camera for all the gossip and goings-on from the wonderful world of TV and film

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More TV and Film

See more