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Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lee Ryan's colourful love life: From celebrity engagements to explosive love triangles, a secret love child and even a threesome with bandmate Duncan James - as he prepares to welcome sixth baby
He's just announced he is set to become a father for the sixth time, as he prepares to welcome his fourth child with his now wife Verity Paris. And while the couple are living an idyllic life with their three children over in Spain after moving overseas three years ago, Lee Ryan's love life hasn't always been so conventional. From celebrity romances to rumoured flings, love triangles and even a secret love child, the singer's love life has been colourful to say the least. Back in his Blue heyday, the star was linked to a number of women - including Atomic Kitten star Liz McClarnon and even American star Caprice. He looked to have found love with hairdresser Samantha Miller with whom he welcomed his first child, however the news of a secret love child and assault charge led to a rollercoaster relationship and bitter split. On screen too Lee hasn't held back after he became entangled in a messy love triangle during his time in Celebrity Big Brother after a series of passionate smooches. While he has even admitted to threesomes with his bandmate Duncan James, it seems now the star has mellowed and settled down for good. Liz McClarnon Enjoying a number of high profile romances, Lee was previously engaged to Atomic Kitten star Liz McClarnon in the early 2000s. The pair had dated on and off for two years and Lee popped the question in 2003 as they got swept up in the relationship bubble. However they split shortly after amid allegations that Lee had slept with a lap dancer and Liz saying she didn't like dating a fellow celebrity. Yet Lee insisted he was the one to call things off, saying later: 'It just wasn't right any more.' Opening up about their split, Liz told Closer: 'I'd never date another celebrity again. I was engaged to Lee and I didn't like having our relationship in the spotlight. 'For me, it leads to paranoia. You read things about each other and wonder who said what.' Caprice In 2004 Lee sparked romance rumours with model Caprice Bourret after it was reported they were secretly dating. The Sun revealed that the pair met at a London club and the model reportedly told friends she and the Blue singer were in love. A close friend allegedly told the paper: 'She's really happy at the moment. She's been gossiping with friends about how she's going out with Lee but that it's meant to be secret. 'She said she thinks they are in love and she's very excited about the relationship, although it is in the very early stages.' As well the American singer, Lee has also been linked to former models Alicia Douvall and Stephanie Saunders. Samantha Miller In 2007 Lee met Samantha Miller on MySpace after she posted a number of sexy snaps on his page. Samantha was reportedly a devoted fan of Blue for a number of years and recently told the singer's friends that she had a poster of him on her wall when she was a teenager. After reportedly describing her as 'well hot,' his friends and family were then stunned when he revealed at his 25th birthday party that Samantha was pregnant. However the pregnancy was by no means smooth sailing after Lee broke up with the future mother of his son five months into her pregnancy leaving her 'devastated'. The couple later reunited but then suffered a tumultuous engagement punctuated by public arguments - one of which saw Lee throwing money at Samantha outside a Mayfair hotel. Their relationship suffered another blow when it emerged that Ryan had fathered a secret love child in 2007. Lee and Samantha welcomed their son Rayn in 2008. However the couple suffered a bitter break-up in 2010, after Lee was charged with physically assaulting Samantha. The singer was charged with assaulting Samantha after allegedly hitting her as they drove through London's West End. The charge was withdrawn that month at the request of his partner. A spokesman for Ryan told MailOnline at the time: 'Lee 100 per cent denies common assault. He categorically did not hit Sammi and will be fighting these charges in court'. Later in 2019 Lee reflected on his failed relationships and low points of his life as he told the Daily Mail: 'I shouldn't have lost the family life I had with my ex-fiance, Sammi, and our little boy, Rayn. He's ten now and we're really close again. 'But I neglected the relationship so it's only relatively recently that he's been able to see functioning co-parenting, something my mum and dad never achieve. 'I also have a daughter, Bluebell, who's 11. These are key ages for my kids so I'm working as hard as I know how to make memories with each of them that will last. They're my priority for the next few years.' Jessica Keevil Lee fathered daughter Bluebell with Jessica in 2007, prior to his relationship with Samantha, after the pair met in a night club. After a number of dates Jessica revealed she was pregnant and Lee broke off the relationship and began dating Samantha. While Bluebell was born in 2008, just a few months before Rayn, Lee didn't undergo a paternity test until a year later which confirmed he was the father. Lee's relationship with Jessica's family has been troubled, and he has defended himself against accusations of failing to pay child support in the past. In 2011 Bluebell's grandmother Jane Stowell called Lee a 'terrible dad' and told The Sunday Mirror: 'Lee's been a nightmare. Jess has had to battle to bring their daughter up all by herself. 'It's as if his own child is an inconvenience to him. Every time we ask for help he ignores us.' However the Blue songwriter slammed the claims and insisted he had been paying for his daughter and disputes between his family and Jessica's have meant that seeing his daughter had been difficult. A spokesperson for the singer told MailOnline at the time: 'Lee has being paying constant regular maintenance to Jessica Keevil for the last year and a half, ever since he found out Bluebell was his child. 'In fact Lee transferred money into Jessica's account only last week. Any suggestion that he has not is complete fabrication.' He added: 'In addition Lee held a birthday party for Bluebell's at his sister's house in June last year. 'With regards to access to Bluebell, there has been an ongoing dispute in 2011 between Lee's family and Jessica's family, which has made visitation rights awkward. 'Lee takes his role as father of Bluebell very seriously and is saddened and upset that her family feel the need to make such statements in a public arena.' Casey Batchelor and Jasmine Waltz Ever the lothario, Lee was also embroiled in not one, but two romances during his time in the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2014. The star found himself caught in a love triangle with both Casey Batchelor and Jasmine Waltz after kissing both girls. While Lee was chained to glamour model Casey before he entered the house, he appeared to lead Casey to believe he wanted to give their relationship a go before secretly spending the night with Jasmine. Lee and Jasmine spent the night in the UFO out of sight of Casey who was kept in the house, and the devious duo were seen kissing under Lee's bedsheets and then disappearing to the bathroom together for quite some time. He later explained to Casey about their 'bedtime cuddles' and said he wanted to cool things off because he didn't want a relationship in the house, and didn't want to be perceived as a player. He said: 'You know they're all talking about us. I was worried about the way people would perceive us. I came in single.' When Casey questioned if it was just a house relationship for the singer, he said: 'No, well, I didn't want anything. I love cuddling and being with you. Everyone else is making an issue about it. I'm not trying to say anything, but I don't want us to be any different with each other.' Later after Jasmine was evicted, she came back into the house to confront Casey about her behaviour with Lee. During the scene, Jasmine snapped: 'Hi Casey, I have a few things to say to you. When Lee and I got together he said he really liked me and saw you as a friend. 'As soon as you left you threw yourself at him. It's quite embarrassing really. 'You deliberately went out to hurt me. I've had to sit at home and watch this. Putting your t**s in his face and saying how horny you are and that you can't wait to have sex with him.' Duncan James Lee has also sensationally revealed that he had threesomes with his bandmate Duncan James, who is openly gay. He told New: 'Me and Duncan had threesomes! We did some crazy s**t with each other. In the past we've done some s**t like that. 'It's not just high five each other. I think they call it a spit roast.' Although Duncan rubbished claims of a gay fling with Blue band-mate Lee, he did admit to having threesomes. Lee made the admission during a candid chat with feisty American Jasmine Waltz and former Apprentice finalist Luisa Zissman in the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2014, telling them: 'Yeah I've been with a man. Everyone's done experimentational s***. I'll tell you later.' He added: 'Of course, man. I'm a well-traveled person. I've never admitted it anywhere. No-one's bothered to ask.' Duncan tweetes at the time: 'Still laughin at this mornings claims. Every1 knows about the 3somes but its never gone beyond that. I mean I love Lee but not THAT much.' A source also told The Sun: 'Lee has an incredibly intense relationship with Duncan. He feels he is the only person in the world who truly understands him. 'They love each other and it's true they've been intimate over the years. They're completely comfortable with each other and still go on holidays together.' Lee also revealed he was happy for Duncan after he came out as gay in 2014 after previously identifying as bisexual. He explained: 'It's his business. And he told me eventually... He seems so much happier now. He feels like he's just cool, man. 'I saw him the other day and he was really happy. I love him to bits. He's like a soulmate, a brother. He looks like he has a weight off his shoulders.' In 2022, Lee was accused of transphobia after becoming embroiled in a vicious spat with a drag queen on Instagram - and later revealed he was bisexual. The singer sarcastically commented on gender identity, posting to his 172,000 followers: 'I might start identifying myself as an alien / star / seed / indigo child. Anything but human. Please respect my wishes.' After the post, drag queen Layla Zee Susan - real name Sammy Shepherd - challenged him for his 'insensitive' comments with Ryan launching a foul-mouthed attack on Layla. Discussing the fallout with The Sun, Ryan furiously denied claims that he was transphobic or homophobic, saying: 'I'm bisexual and my bandmate is gay - I would never disrespect anyone like that. 'I normally ignore things like that but it's like somebody calling me racist when I'm not. Duncan's constantly dressing in drag, he's gay, Blue has a big [gay] following - so this really upset me. 'Some of my best friends are gay. I didn't say one thing about him being in drag.' Laura Anderson In 2019 Lee was spotted out on a date with Love Island star Laura Anderson as they enjoyed an fancy evening at Sexy Fish in Mayfair. However nothing came of the romance and Laura went on to welcome a baby with her now ex Gary Lucy in September 2023. Verity Paris Lee and Verity were first linked back in January 2020 before enjoying a loved-up holiday together in February 2022. Verity - whose real name is Verity Morley - is an Ariana Grande impersonator who starred on the X Factor in 2009. Recalling how they first met, he said: 'We first saw each other at a Christmas lights switch on when I was promoting and Verity was a performer, and we met backstage. 'A few weeks later, we went on our first date and we bonded over our love of food – sushi, on that occasion. The first time I knew she was the one was on our second date. We picked a Christmas tree and danced around my living room to John Legend.' On Thursday Lee revealed the pair are expecting their fourth child together as he shared a photo of himself cradling his wife's bump with the playful caption: 'Oops we did it again. 'Baby number 4 on the way to add to our lovely little family! Another vibe to join the tribe we are truly grateful ps…. Check out little Elton John by the piano!" The couple enjoyed a lavish wedding ceremony in Seville last October - two years after their secret legal ceremony in Gibraltar. He moved to Spain three years ago to start a family with Verity, 34, and the couple said 'I do' at a registry office in 2022. After missing out a big wedding day with their family and friends due to the pandemic restrictions, the couple celebrated their nuptials with a fairytale wedding in Seville on 7 October, with all his Blue bandmates in attendance. Describing the special day to OK!, Lee admitted he cried at several points during the day, saying it 'felt like a dream'. The couple's three children all played roles in the ceremony, with their daughters being flower girls, while Lee walked down the aisle carrying their newborn son to a string quartet playing Time by Hans Zimmer. Gushing about his wife, he admitted he knew she was the one on their second date and that 'she saved my life', while describing the moment he saw her in her dress, 'it took my breath away'. When the couple first tied the knot two years ago, Lee told The Sun: 'I met someone finally who loves and supports me in everything I do. 'Verity is a beautiful, strong and loving woman who I treasure, and I'm a lucky man to have such a wonderful mother for my child, and now wife in her. 'I've never been more calm and grounded and I have Verity to thank for that. I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life because of the wonderful family life I now have.' The couple moved to a beachfront apartment in the Costa del Sol in 2020 with the duo admitting that they now have a 'better quality of life' and 'new lease of life'.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Abuse': Abbie Chatfield announces she's quitting social media
Abbie Chatfield has revealed that she will be stepping away from social media for a month, amid relentless online trolling that's taken a toll on her mental health. In a raw and emotional TikTok video, Chatfield candidly discussed the struggles she has faced over the past six months, including daily threats and a flood of negative messages that have left her feeling 'traumatised' and 'constantly hated'. She explained in the clip that her social media hiatus will begin on Sunday until July 10. All her social media content will be prescheduled, as she will be leaving her phone in Australia while she goes on a month-long holiday overseas. Relentless online abuse Through a tear-filled video sitting in her car, Chatfield opened up about the severity of the abuse she faces, describing how 'every single day there's a new headline or a new major world event that I have been commenting on', but the backlash has become overwhelming. She revealed that she receives 'hundreds of messages a day' with threats of sexual assault and violent language, and said she can't even enjoy scrolling on social media for fun because her feeds are filled with videos of people trolling her. 'Just imagine if every single day you received 100 texts saying that people were going to sexually assault you, people want to be violent towards you, people hate you, you should be ashamed of yourself. Like every single day,' she said. 'I don't think it's possible to comprehend for anyone that isn't in this industry. They don't have misogynistic men commenting on their things and making parodies of them.' Chatfield says she 'needs a break' Chatfield, who is currently writing a book, said the constant barrage of abuse has left her feeling paralysed and unable to work. 'The constant criticism that I receive makes me paralysed to be able to write or actually do anything because I believe that I am what everyone says I am because when you're told that all day every day, then you believe it, and that prevents you from doing work that you're actually proud of,' she explained. 'And I want to make this book good. So I'm having a month off from posting and I really need it. Like if I don't have this, I don't know what's gonna happen.' She also revealed that she has not gone a day in the past eight months without having thoughts of taking her own life. 'It's been a really exhausting six months and I'm sure that anyone who speaks about politics online is aware of that. It's just constantly being lied about. People just making things up about me and then attacking me for things that they made up.' Chatfield's decision to speak out about politics and the recent federal election has put her in the firing line of both far-right trolls and people in the feminist community. She explained on Stellar 's Something To Talk about podcast last week how she is 'often a scapegoat' for criticism, and how the 'demeaning' and 'deeply damaging' effects of being targeted by fellow feminists and far-right trolls have taken their toll. She has also been through a public feud with prominent writer and feminist Clementine Ford, who accused her of 'profiting from the performance of being politically engaged' following an interview with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on her podcast. 'I feel like I'm in the middle of stories like that all the time. So it's kind of, unfortunately, my norm,' Chatfield told Something To Talk About. Setting a boundary In light of this, Chatfield said she is now determined to set boundaries for herself and take a break from the internet to protect her mental health. 'For me to continue doing what I'm doing, I need to be mentally clear,' she said in her TikTok. 'So I just really need a break 'cause when I get to have a day off without my phone, even if it's just a morning or an afternoon, I'm able to get back to being normal. 'I really just need a reset.'
News.com.au
6 days ago
- News.com.au
Abbie Chatfield breaks down as she announces 1 month hiatus
The podcaster says she is leaving her phone in Australia while she goes on holiday overseas to help 'reset' from the relentless bullying and trolling she receives.
Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Reeves to cut allowances of British diplomats overseas
British diplomats based overseas will have their living allowances slashed by Rachel Reeves under plans to reduce costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is reviewing the payments made to embassy staff around the world after this week's spending review, which will force the department to make day-to-day savings of 7 per cent in real terms. Ambassadors and other senior diplomats will have their 'specific allowances' for overseas postings 'reviewed and revised' as part of the efficiency drive. Diplomatic sources told The Telegraph they now fear having to pay their own rent in foreign countries, if housing allowances are reduced. Foreign staff receive a variety of extra payments under the FCDO's 'Overseas Employment Framework', including a general allowance for working overseas, additional payments for spouses and 'danger money' for working in hostile countries. The department does not routinely publish the cost of overseas allowances, but a Freedom of Information request in 2017 revealed that the annual cost is in excess of £23 million. Diplomats subject to cost-cutting for two years Ms Reeves, the Chancellor, slashed administrative budgets of all Whitehall departments in her spending review on Wednesday, but the Foreign Office has borne the brunt of the cuts and will be forced to save £78 million a year. The latest spending figures also reflected a significant cut of the overseas development aid (ODA) budget, which is administered by the FCDO, to find an increase in defence spending. A 'departmental efficiency' document published alongside the spending review said the FCDO would 'reform the Overseas Employment Framework to modernise and simplify the end-to-end overseas allowance package for staff, streamlining provisions to make the system more transparent'. It added: 'Aspects of the package will be combined to reduce processing costs, while the monetary value of specific allowances are being reviewed and revised.' Diplomats told The Telegraph that they have faced cost-cutting measures for more than two years, and that hospitality expenses were now very closely scrutinised by the department. One said that even the cost of a cup of coffee with a diplomatic contact overseas would require extensive justification, and that many civil servants choose to pay for expenses out of their own pocket. Exact measures to be decided Other allowances, such as the policy to pay thousands of pounds a year for the children of diplomats to attend private boarding schools in the UK, have already come under scrutiny in recent years. In November, the FCDO wrote to top boarding schools to ask for the children of diplomats to be given discounts on their school fees, to offset the cost of Labour's tax raid on private schools. Foreign staff are usually given a generous stipend to pay for living expenses, to allow them to rent a property overseas while maintaining a home in the UK. But some choose to sell their homes in the UK when working abroad, allowing them to live without any housing costs while away on a posting. The Telegraph understands that the exact 'modernisation' reforms to diplomatic allowances have not yet been decided.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Woman Feels 'Like a Guest' in Her Own Home Due to Mother-in-Law's 6-Month Stays
Woman says her mother-in-law rotates between sons' homes for six months, staying two weeks at a time She describes feeling like a guest in her own home, with no privacy or boundaries during visits Despite sharing her concerns, her husband dismisses them, leaving her emotionally drained and desperate for changeA woman turned to the Reddit community for support after years of feeling suffocated by her mother-in-law's extended visits. The poster, married for seven years, shared that her husband's mother "lives overseas and intends to move to our country permanently, and so while her visa is processing, she visits every year." "And by visits, I mean she stays for nearly six months, rotating between her sons' homes every two weeks," she writes. "This has been the routine for years." From the beginning, she has tried to be understanding, initially agreeing to the setup when her husband first asked if she'd be okay with it. 'I (naively) said yes,' she writes in her post, recalling how her mother-in-law seemed 'pretty independent' at first, traveling alone and joining group tours, which led her to believe it wouldn't be difficult. After they got married, the couple "lived in a shared house" with her younger brother-in-law and mother-in-law. However, the reality turned out to be far from what she expected. 'They were both around all the time — it felt like I never had any privacy or personal space as a newlywed,' she confides. Her mother-in-law, a widow for nearly two decades, had grown used to living with others for long stretches, rarely staying in her own home, even while overseas. 'She just prefers being around people - which I get, to an extent - but it's becoming too much for me,' the woman admits. "When she stays with us, she basically parks herself in the living room all day,' she explains, adding that her mother-in-law 'never goes out, doesn't do much on her own, and there are no boundaries.' The poster describes that the mother-in-law's constant presence leaves her feeling like a guest in her own home. 'I can't walk through my own house without feeling like I have to engage or at least acknowledge her presence 24/7,' she laments. Over time, she realized that her mother-in-law is "just incredibly clingy and constantly inserts herself into everything." The woman's patience was tested further by her mother-in-law's "pointed remarks" about her family, "including one about how my dad drinks 'a bit more than normal,' which I found really inappropriate.' She's not alone in her feelings. Her sister-in-law agreed that the situation has also taken a toll on their household. 'My sister-in-law opened up to me about how much of a nightmare my MIL was when SIL had her baby - constantly interfering, stressing her out, and not respecting boundaries,' she reveals, adding that as a result, her mother-in-law now only gets "limited access" to the child. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. These conversations only reinforce her own sense of frustration. 'My MIL thrives on meddling in other people's lives, playing the victim, and stirring up drama so she can get sympathy,' she writes, feeling that her mother-in-law 'inserts herself into other people's homes and routines because she's bored and wants entertainment - at our expense.' Despite repeatedly sharing her concerns with her husband, he dismisses her frustrations. 'He just doesn't see the issue. He's used to her being this way and thinks it's normal to go live in people's houses,' she says. 'I feel like I've never had a chance to build a life with just us without her constant presence looming over everything.' She insists that she values family and doesn't want to be seen as the villain, but feels "suffocated when she's here." "It doesn't feel like my home anymore when she stays with us,' she writes. Now, she's reached a breaking point. 'I'm at the point where I just don't want her to stay with us at all,' she confesses. Read the original article on People
