TV personality Jack Osbourne is one of the stars on this season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here. The youngest child of Sharon Osbourne and the late Ozzy Osbourne has headed into the infamous Australian jungle alongside the likes of Martin Kemp, Aitch, and Alex Scott, and we can't wait to see what he gets up to in there – especially as some betting sites have already tipped him to win the series.
Scroll on for what you need to know about Jack Osbourne, including what he's said about living with multiple sclerosis.
Who is Jack Osbourne?
Jack Osbourne shot to fame on, arguably, the OG reality TV series: The Osbournes. The show followed the lives of, you guessed it, the Osbourne family, made up of music legend Ozzy Osbourne and The X-Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, along with their kids, Kelly and Jack Osbourne. There is another Osbourne sibling, Aimee Osbourne, who declined to be on the show and lives out of the spotlight.
After The Osbournes came to an end, Jack continued a career in media. He's presented and produced a number of TV series related to fitness, travel, and the paranormal, and appeared on Dancing with the Stars.
Jack was previously married to actor Lisa Stelly, with whom he has three daughters, but they divorced in 2019. He's currently married to interior designer Aree Gearhart, with whom he has a fourth daughter.
What illness does Jack Osbourne have?
In June 2012, at the age of 26, Jack Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Per the NHS, relapsing-remitting MS is the most common type of MS, affecting around 85 per cent of those diagnosed. With this type of MS, symptoms appear in what's known as a relapse, and then fade away, either partially or completely.
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Over the years, Jack has experienced several symptoms related to relapsing-remitting MS, including: blindness in one eye; numbness in both legs; and issues with his bladder, bowel, and stomach.
How does Jack Osbourne treat his MS?
Last year, Jack said on an episode of The Osbournes Podcast that he uses "alternative therapies" to treat his MS. He explained that he does "a lot of supplementation," adding: "I have had some alternative therapy treatments over the years. I do not take traditional MS medication currently."
"I've always leaned towards alternative therapies," he explained, recalling a recent bio-cellular therapy treatment on his spine, during which doctors injected cells into his spinal discs. "I like the notion of alternative," he went on, although he did add that "there are amazing results from pharmaceuticals."
"I just choose to not go down the route of pharmaceuticals for my MS right now," he noted. "I'm absolutely open to it if needed."
What has Jack Osbourne said about having MS?
Since being diagnosed with MS in 2012, Jack has been vocal about his health condition and often speaks out to help raise awareness of it.
Jack on the symptoms that led to his diagnosis
Jack first sought medical attention after losing vision in his right eye, which he later learned was due to optic neuritis. "The eye doctor sent me to the ER, and the ER was like, 'We need an MRI'," he said, per Everyday Health. Jack explained that he later had a spinal tap and blood work as well as meetings with neurologists, which confirmed previous numbness he felt in his legs was connected to this, ultimately leading to his MS diagnosis.
Jack on going public with his MS diagnosis
"I felt a weird obligation," Jack said of why he shared his MS diagnosis publicly, according to Everyday Health. "I'm in the public eye, and I thought it would really benefit people."
"MS is very common and a lot more common than people think [but] a lot of people who are younger are nervous to let people know about it because of the stigma that comes along with it," he added. "I know a few people who keep it on the DL."
Jack on misconceptions about MS
"The most common misconception is that people think you're not so able-bodied when you have MS," he said, via Everyday Health. "Either that, or they'll assume you're fine because you're not in a wheelchair."
"I like to say that MS is as unique to the individual as their own fingerprint," Jack continued. "The biggest thing is: Don't just lump everyone under the umbrella of 'This is MS' because it really is so different for everyone."
Jack on how he manages his MS
As well as the alternative therapies he uses to treat his MS, Jack has said that his lifestyle goes a long way in managing his condition, per the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Amending his diet (read: not "stuffing my face with pizza all day"), fitness regime, and sleep routine amounted to a "whole kind of lifestyle shift" for Jack.
"For me, my biggest stress relief is sleep," he added. "I try to get at least eight hours a night. I also take weekends seriously. I'll just hang out at home and try to decompress."
Jack on how MS impacts his career
Just one year after his diagnosis, in 2013, Jack signed up to Dancing with the Stars and made it all the way to the final. Writing on Facebook at the time, he said: "One of the first questions I was asked was 'How will having MS affect your ability to perform throughout the season?' The truthful answer is… I had no idea."
Jack went on to explain that over the 10 weeks he filmed for the show, he hadn't experienced any "severe" symptoms, other than a bit of "tingling" in his legs and "the occasional bout of fatigue." He continued: "In a weird way, I've found myself somewhat holding my breath, because although I feel good and confident in my ability to continue to perform, you never really do know what tomorrow is going to bring. For people who have MS, I think you'll be able to relate to that feeling."
A decade later, in 2023, Jack was forced to withdraw from the US equivalent of SAS: Who Dares Wins on medical grounds. His elevated heart rate concerned the show's doctors, leading to his exit in episode six.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about it, he said: "The show's doctors were more concerned than I was. I'm pretty healthy considering I'm living with MS, but it doesn't present itself daily for me. I've been, touch wood, going pretty strong, and I don't have any issues with it right now. So that wasn't a concern."
Jack on feeling hopeful about his MS
"MS is not a death sentence, ultimately," he previously told TODAY on the fifth anniversary of his diagnosis. "There's hope, there's absolutely hope."
"I kind of look at the diagnosis as a huge silver lining to be honest with you," he added, revealing that it's changed his outlook on life. "I hate wasting days. I'm always doing something and trying to accomplish something, whether it's work, something social, or doing something active. So for that, I'm appreciative of it."
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! starts on ITV on Sunday 16th November at 9pm.
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