Irish Daily Mirror

Who’s a celebrity?

AS STARS PREPARE FOR Jungle CAMP, GUESS WHO’S WHO In Our CHILD PICS QUIZ:

- BY MARK JEFFERIES Showbiz Editor in Queensland, Australia mark.jefferies@mirror.co.uk

AMIR Khan has said his recent split with his wife was “silly” and he is now working hard to get his life back on track.

The boxer, 30, is reconciled with pregnant Faryal, 26, and gearing up for a return to the ring next year.

Their troubles came to a head in the summer with an explosive twitter row in which he accused Faryal of cheating with heavyweigh­t champion Anthony Joshua.

Speaking for the first time about the episode, Amir said: “I think if you look at the whole situation, it was all just silly, starting with the texts, then when I accused her of messaging Joshua, it was all just nonsense really from the start.

“And then when we sat down and thought ‘Look, we’ve got a family’. Also she’s expecting so we have to think for the kids. In life you have to forgive. We have to move forward and move on from things like that.

“That’s part of life. You always make mistakes and it’s about coming through them and not making them mistakes again.

“I made a few silly mistakes. I did put my life on social media, I assumed things which were wrong. So I kind of embarrasse­d myself.”

Amir’s family virtually disowned him after he wed Faryal and said they were “relieved” when he announced plans to divorce her. According to reports, they had disapprove­d of the marriage due to Faryal’s Western way of dressing. But now he has patched things up with them and Faryal even stayed in the Khan household last week before he headed to Australia.

Amir said: “I had a lot of falling-outs with my family and Faryal and now we get on so good and we’ve all put everything behind us. It’s all a big wake-up call for us all and we’re all one big family again. The day before I left for Australia we were all at my mum’s house. Me and Faryal slept in our spare room.” Amir said going in the jungle will help him refocus his life and serve as a “detox” for the past 12 months.

He said: “I’m still a boxer, I’m training but there’s no fights on. So I thought, ‘I’ve got time to do this show, so why not?’ I’m only going to be away from training and home a few weeks. I’ll use it as a detox at the same time.”

Amir and Faryal, who had daughter Lamaisah in 2014, had been in trouble for some time. Faryal had claimed he slept with other women and was “not a good role model”. In August this year, days after Amir partied in Dubai with a Faryal lookalike, things came to a head with the Twitter row.

While all is behind them now, what did Faryal think of him joining I’m A Celeb just days after they were reconciled? Amir said: “She was a bit shocked at first but then even she thought it was a good idea for me to get away and spend some time with myself and focus again.”

Welterweig­ht Amir insists there are no hard feelings with Joshua too – a good job as the heavyweigh­t would tower over him if they ever traded blows. He said: “We laugh about it now.”

With such a manic 2017, Amir would be forgiven for wanting a quiet time in the jungle – but you suspect he will not be far from the action. Once out, he will be straight back in the gym as he has the first of four fights in 2018 in February.

Amir said: “Being a father makes you realise in life you’ve got commitment­s. Everything you’re doing, you’re doing it for your family.

“It’s definitely going to change me again and make me work hard in my sport. I’ve been out of the ring over a year now so this is only going to give me more motivation to shine again.”

I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here starts 9pm tomorrow on TV3.

This is only going to give me motivation to shine again

AMIR ON JUNGLE STINT BEFORE RING COMEBACK

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 ??  ?? SPAT With Faryal and, right, Joshua and tweet
SPAT With Faryal and, right, Joshua and tweet
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