Surf Wiki
Save to docs
general

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Shona McGarty

Shona McGarty
McGarty in 2019
Shona Bernadette McGarty (1991-10-14) 14 October 1991London Borough of Barnet, England
.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:"\a0 · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}Actresssinger
2006–present
EastEndersI'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Musical career
Vocals
Saga Entertainment

Shona Bernadette McGarty (born 14 October 1991) is an English actress and singer, best known for her portrayal of Whitney Dean in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2008 to 2024. In 2025, she released a single "Unapologetically Me" and was a finalist on the twenty-fifth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, finishing in third place.

Shona Bernadette McGarty was born on 14 October 1991 in London Borough of Barnet to Patrick McGarty and Jennifer McNamara. She has a younger sister named Camilla. She is of Irish descent. McGarty attended St. Teresa's Catholic Primary School and later studied at Loreto College, St Albans.

McGarty attending an event in November 2011

McGarty was involved in amateur musical theatre for six years, including a role in Wizard of Oz. In 2007, she appeared in the short film What Goes Around.

In October 2007, following the announcement that established character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) was returning to EastEnders, McGarty was confirmed to be joining the soap as Whitney Dean; the daughter of Bianca's deceased partner Nathan Dean. McGarty began filming in January 2008, and made her first appearance as Whitney on 1 April. Early into her tenure, the character of Whitney was involved in a sexual abuse storyline in which she was groomed by Bianca's partner Tony King. McGarty who was 16 at the time, required her parents to give permission for the storyline to go ahead. In July 2012, McGarty was suspended from EastEnders by the acting executive producer Lorraine Newman "for repeatedly being late for filming". McGarty later regretted her behaviour as "lazy and irresponsible". The same year, McGarty performed the song A Change is Gonna Come for Children in Need 2012. McGarty's other storylines included being sexually exploited by Rob Grayson (Jody Latham), her marriage to Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard) and subsequent miscarriage, being stalked by Leo King (Tom Wells) which leads to her killing him in self-defence, and being impregnated by Zack Hudson (James Farrar), before discovering the baby has Edwards syndrome and omphalocele, which ultimately leads to her to terminating the pregnancy. In July 2023, McGarty announced her departure from EastEnders after fifteen years. In an interview with The Sun, McGarty said she "had decided to spread [her] wings and [would] be leaving EastEnders, whilst adding that she had "loved [her] years in the show." Her final scenes aired in 2024, following the end of her contract.

McGarty at an EastEnders Meet and Greet event at BBC Elstree Centre in June 2016

In 2018, McGarty joined 26 other celebrities and performed an original Christmas song, "Rock With Rudolph", a song written and produced by Grahame and Jack Corbyn. The song was recorded in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital and was released digitally on independent record label Saga Entertainment on 30 November 2018 under the artist name the Celebs. The music video debuted with The Sun on 29 November 2018 and had its first TV showing on Good Morning Britain on 30 November 2018. In 2021, McGarty reunited with Saga Entertainment to record a cover of the Beatles song "Let It Be", recorded at Metropolis Studios, in support of British charity Mind and released on 3 December 2021. McGarty was backed by a choir of celebrities including Georgia Hirst, Anne Hegerty, Ivan Kaye and Eunice Olumide, who performed as part of the 2021 line up of the Celebs. In October 2025, McGarty released a single "Unapologetically Me". The following month, she became a contestant on the twenty-fifth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. On 7 December 2025 she was eliminated from the show, finishing in third place behind runner-up Tom Read Wilson and winner Angryginge.

On 31 December 2025, McGarty performed with Irish singer Ronan Keating on his BBC One New Year's Eve programme, Ronan Keating and Friends: A New Year's Eve Party

McGarty was in a relationship with her EastEnders co-star Matt Lapinskas from 2011 to 2013. Between 2018 and 2020, McGarty was engaged to long-term partner Ryan Harris. In 2022, McGarty dated her EastEnders co-star Max Bowden for six months. She became engaged to musician David Bracken in 2024; however, they split the following year. McGarty lives in Old Welwyn, Hertfordshire.

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2007What Goes AroundShonaShort film
2008–2024EastEndersWhitney DeanRegular role
2010East StreetCharity crossover between Coronation Street and EastEnders
2011Lauren's Diary2 episodes
2012Children in Need 2012HerselfPerformer
2020The Queen Vic Quiz NightWhitney DeanCharity special
2020EastEnders: Secrets from the SquareHerselfEpisode: "Whitney and Sonia"
2025I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!Contestant; series 25
Ronan Keating & Friends: A New Year’s Eve PartyPerformer; guest
YearTitleRoleRef.
2018Rock With RudolphHerself
2021Let It BeHerself
YearTitleRef.
2012
2018
2021
2025
YearAwardCategoryResultRef.
2009British Soap AwardsBest NewcomerNominated
2009Inside Soap AwardsBest Young ActorNominated
20142014 British Soap AwardsSexiest FemaleNominated
2014Inside Soap AwardsSexiest FemaleNominated
2015Inside Soap AwardsSexiest FemaleNominated
2016Inside Soap AwardsSexiest FemaleNominated
201722nd National Television AwardsSerial Drama PerformanceNominated
2017Inside Soap AwardsBest ActressNominated
2017Inside Soap AwardsSexiest FemaleNominated
201823rd National Television AwardsSerial Drama PerformanceNominated
202025th National Television AwardsSerial Drama PerformanceNominated
2020TV Choice AwardsBest Soap ActressNominated
2020Inside Soap AwardsBest ActressNominated
2020I Talk Telly AwardsBest Soap PerformanceNominated
202126th National Television AwardsSerial Drama PerformanceNominated
2021Inside Soap AwardsBest ActressNominated
20232023 British Soap AwardsBest Leading PerformerNominated
2023Inside Soap AwardsBest ActressNominated
2023Digital Spy Reader AwardsBest ActorFifth
  • Shona McGarty at IMDb
  • Shona McGarty discography at Discogs
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Shona McGarty — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report