I’m A Celebrity: David Ginola age, wife and football career from Paris Saint-Germain to Spurs

David Ginola is set to swap the football pitch for a freezing castle (Picture: ITV)

I’m A Celebrity is welcoming 10 brave famous faces to camp as the 2021 series kicks off.

The show will be taking place at Gwrych Castle in Wales for the second year in a row – with the Australian outback still off limits due to travel restrictions – with Ant and Dec on hand to watch all the fun, games and fear as it unfolds.

Among those who’ll be braving those Bushtucker Trials this year is former footballer David Ginola – following in the footsteps of Ian Wright, Harry Redknapp, Dennis Wise and other pitch legends who have given the show a go.

David has admitted he has never seen the show before – or its legendary Bushtucker Trials – which he says makes it more of a ‘challenge’ for him.

Just how old is David, where is he from, and which teams did he play for? Here’s what you need to know…

How old is David Ginola?

David is 54, making him one of this year’s older contestants.

He was born on January 25 1967 in Gassin, a village near St Tropez in France.

Which team did David Ginola play for?

The midfielder began his career in his native France playing for clubs including Toulon, RC Paris, Brest and Paris Saint-Germain.

He joined Newcastle United in 1995 and played there for two years before moving to Spurs, where his achievements included being part of the squad that won the League Cup in 1999, as well as winning player of the year awards from both the Professional Footballers Association and the Football Writers Association.

David will be joining nine other celebrities in the castle (Picture: ITV)

Ginola moved to Aston Villa in 2000, and Everton in 2002, the same year he retired.

Since then he has worked as a football pundit for the likes of the BBC, BT Sport, Sky Sports and Talksport, as well as producing his own wine at his vineyard in Provence.

David has since worked as a pundit as well as producing award-winning wine (Picture: Getty Images)

He has also dabbled in reality TV in the past, taking part in the French version of Strictly Come Dancing – Dance Avec Les Stars – in 2011.

Speaking about I’m A Celebrity, he revealed he’s already had a brush with Ant and Dec, explaining: ‘I know the Geordies! I’ve met Ant and Dec before and I know they are massive fans of Newcastle United.’

“When you play for the club (like I did), all of the fans are amazing and very faithful. Newcastle is very lucky to have fans like them!’

He added: ‘It is starting to sink in now that I am doing I’m A Celebrity. When I got offered the chance to do the programme, I thought ‘why not’. It’s going to be a great experience and it’s the chance to spend three weeks in the Castle doing things you have never done in your life.’

Who is David Ginola’s wife and do they have children?

David is now in a relationship with model Maeva Denat (Picture: Getty Images)

Ginola married former wife Coraline Delpin in 1991, and they have two grown-up children – son Andrea and daughter Carla.

The couple split in 2016, and Ginola is now in a relationship with model Maeva Denat, who is 22 years his junior – and the couple welcomed a baby daughter in 2018.

‘I am going to miss my baby girl,’ he said ahead of going into the castle.

‘I have been sharing her life every day since she was born and it’s not just me. It is also about her missing her dad for a long time. That feeling is going to be difficult.’

I’m A Celebrity begins on Sunday night on ITV at 9pm.

MORE : I’m A Celebrity star Matty Lee: How old is he and what is his link to Tom Daley?

MORE : I’m A Celeb 2021: David Ginola plans to lose six kilos in 3 weeks on castle diet

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