I’m a Celebrity’s Dean Gaffney recalls cosmetic mishap that got him in trouble on EastEnders

Gaffney’s castmate Danny Dyer was apparently gobsmacked

Former EastEnders actor Dean Gaffney has recalled how a pre-holiday eyebrow tweak got him in trouble on the soap’s set.

During tonight’s episode (8 May) of I’m a Celebrity… South Africa, the actor tells his campmates: “I had a gap between filming. They film everything out of sequence. I ran off to the shop to get my eyebrows waxed and tinted, just before I went away.

“I fell asleep… five minutes later she wakes me up, I look in the mirror, I look like the guy from American Pie… I go back to work, bearing in mind I’ve got a scene…”

Gaffney, 45, said that his castmate Danny Dyer was particularly bemused by his new look. Dyer apparently asked him: “‘Alright, son, what the f*** have you done, son?’

“The make-up team were coming out fuming,” Gaffney continued. “It’s in your contract, you can’t change your hair… or…”

Asked how the issue was solved, he said: “They scrubbed with an exfoliator!”

Gaffney made his on-screen debut as Robbie Jackson on EastEnders in 1993.

Over the course of his decade-long stint on the show, Robbie grew from being a troublesome teen to a much-loved member of the Albert Square community. He was often seen with his pet dog, Wellard, until he left the Square with his girlfriend Nita in 2003.

Dean Gaffney (ITV)

Gaffney has since returned to the show as Robbie on several occasions. His last time on the soap was in 2019.

The current season of I’m a Celebrity is not filmed live. Find out why here.

The spinoff series draws to a close, with one contestant being crowned the first ever “I’m a Celeb legend”, on Friday 12 May.