The pop star has always been grateful to have a large family (Picture: ITV)
Pop star Boy George is certainly making his presence known in the I’m A Celebrity jungle, but his family is supporting him from afar.
The 80s icon – whose name is George Alan O’Dowd – and Culture Club singer may be known for hit songs such as Karma Chameleon and Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, but he has spoken a little about his personal life, prior to his time on the reality show.
He comes from a large family, and his sister has been making headlines voicing support for her brother in recent days.
Siobhan O’Dowd told The Sun both her and mum Dinah were supporting him all the way, and that Siobhan would be flying out to meet her big brother when he makes his exit.
The singer, 61, broke down in tears following Matt Hancock’s arrival in the jungle, but his sister remains proud.
‘I’m so proud of George, he said how we all felt and it was hard to see him so upset,’ she said.
The singer-songwriter certainly comes from a large brood (Picture: Andre Csillag/REX/Shutterstock)
But how many other siblings does the 61-year-old have and who are they? Here’s what we know about his family.
How many sisters does Boy George have?
Born to Irish parents Jeremiah and Dinah O’Dowd, George has four brothers and one sister.
Sister Siobhan is the baby of the family and has been described as the singer-songwriter’s ‘rock’, and says she couldn’t be prouder of him, despite worrying about him too.
Boy George’s sister Siobhan and mum Dinah are said to be his ‘rock.’ (Picture: Instagram)
‘I will be there waiting for him when he comes out. Mum and I are cheering him on every night,’ she said.
How many brothers does Boy George have?
He has four brothers, Richard, Kevin, Gerald and David O’Dowd.
‘I’m the middle, needy, child,’ he told The Guardian. ‘The middle child is always deranged. My brother Kevin, who was born the year after me, was born with tapeworm and nearly died.’
‘For about two years I was kind of not that important,’ he said of growing up in such a large group. ‘I don’t know whether that had a profound effect on me.’
Boy George performing in 1983 (Picture: TV Times via Getty Images)
He also spoke about feeling different from his brothers when he was growing up: ‘I wasn’t interested in the sort of things my brothers were interested in. They liked Farrah Fawcett-Majors and beautiful girls and I liked Bowie, jewellery and Busby Berkeley.’
Has boy George spoken about his family before?
While not much is publicly known about what his siblings do, like all families, George’s hasn’t been without its troubles. According to Associated Press, in 1995, George’s brother Gerald, then 32, was convicted of killing his wife Gillian and sentenced to indefinite detention in a mental hospital as a result.
George has also had several run-ins with the law, which stemmed from struggles with drug addiction in the years that followed Culture Club’s success.
Boy George, seen here with brother Gerald prior to his conviction, says his family keeps him grounded (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)
Boy George has also previously told The Guardian his family life could be ‘dysfunctional’, but said their constant support was what kept him grounded.
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‘Yes, it’s often dysfunctional but I love my family very much and I’m really grateful that I’ve got a big family because there’s always somebody who can pull you back to earth – always somebody to remind you who you really are. And that is so important,’ he continued.
He was also praised for candidly speaking out about his experience of domestic abuse within his family in 2017.
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The pop icon comes from a large family.
