Manchester rapper Aitch has revealed the deeply personal reason he agreed to enter the Iâm A Celebrity⊠Get Me Out of Here! jungle this year â to raise awareness for people with Down Syndrome, inspired by his 13-year-old sister Gracie, whom he calls âthe most perfect girl Iâve ever metâ.
Speaking candidly, the 25-year-old musician said he hopes to shift perceptions and dismantle the stigma around the condition. He explained that heâs doing the series not only for those with Down Syndrome but also for their families who may feel lost or worried after receiving a diagnosis. He said he doesnât want anyone âto be disheartened or feel s*** if they do find out someone in the familyâs got Down Syndrome,â insisting that âitâs a blessingâ and that âyouâre going to have the best time of your life as long as youâre spending it with that person.â

Aitch, whose real name is Harrison James Armstrong, stressed that his âmain thingâ is making sure Down Syndrome is not treated as something negative. âI donât want anyone to say, âOh yeah, my kidâs got Down Syndrome, or my sisterâs got Down Syndrome,â as if itâs sad news. Theyâre the best people in the world.â
The rapper, who has an incredibly close bond with Gracie and dedicated his track My G to her, also waded into sensitive territory by criticising UK abortion laws that allow termination of babies with Down Syndrome up to birth. He admitted he was shocked when he found out about the legal disparity, saying: âIâve just learned certain things over the years that make me a bit sad. In terms of you can be a day before giving birth, and if you find out your childâs got Down Syndrome, you can still have the option to terminate it. Whereas in another situation, if your kid doesnât have that, youâve only got a certain amount of time before you can abort.â

All profits from My G are donated to the Downâs Syndrome Association. The track opens with a tribute reading: âThis song is dedicated to Gracie Armstrong. You have the biggest heart in the world! Donât change for no one. Love you kid x.â The music video also features Ed Sheeran.
Aitch shared that he didnât tell Gracie about his upcoming jungle stint because âsheâs a chatty mouth,â joking that she thinks heâs travelling to LA instead. He expects sheâll find out only when the episode airs, saying: âSheâll probably just be like, âOh, thatâs Harrison!â Sheâll be buzzing for me. She loves it.â

Alongside raising awareness, Aitch admitted the opportunity was too iconic to refuse. âItâs just a show I grew up watching, so itâs hard to say no,â he said, adding that his mum âwould have got madâ if he turned it down. He also hopes the series will help him expand into more TV work.
The rapper joins a star-studded cast including Jack Osbourne and Kelly Brook and is expected to become one of this seasonâs breakout favourites â not only for his courage in facing the jungle, but for carrying his sisterâs story with him every step of the way.


