Coronation Street star Alex Bain, 20, is an engaged man!
The Simon Barlow actor popped the question to girlfriend Mollie Lockwood, 19, after the pair struck up a romance towards the end of 2019 - one year on from the Corrie star becoming a father to daughter Lydia Rose in December 2018 with former partner Levi, whom he split from in May 2019.
Sharing their happy news in a joint interview with OK! magazine, Alex explained how it was the 'right time' to ask for Mollie's hand in marriage, adding: "I can't spend my life with anyone else", and revealed he actually got down on one knee over a year ago after just one year of dating.
Speaking with the publication, Alex and Mollie revealed they actually got engaged in October last year - managing to keep their happy news under wraps before telling their loved ones over Christmas the same year.
"We wanted to enjoy that special time together, just the two of us, for a while," Mollie explained, as the lovebirds prepared to share their news publicly - adding how she had no idea the soap star was planning to pop the question after just a few weeks of dating!
Alex asked for Mollie's hand in marriage during a romantic night out in Chester for their two-year anniversary, on October 4 last year - with the Corrie star recalling how nervous he was as he prepared to pop the question as he and Mollie watched the sunset from the balcony in their room.
"That’s when I just asked her. I thought, ‘If I don’t do it now, I’ll keep getting more and more nervous!’ I was pretty certain she’d say yes, but I was still bricking it," Alex explained to the publication when reminiscing about the moment.
Mollie admits she did have a 'tiny inkling' about the proposal as the pair had previously discussed marriage and the future together and the setting was very romantic and special.
The happy couple, who met in October 2019 when Mollie was auditioning for a performing arts college in the North West, are preparing to move in together before they tie the knot, and have their hearts set on 'a little house with a back garden in Chester'.
Alex, who is father to a four-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, also revealed he and Mollie plan to be married before welcoming any children into the world together - adding: 'Mollie would be an incredible mum'.
Earlier this year, the newly-engaged couple enjoyed a romantic holiday together in Spain - taking to social media to share a series of loved-up snaps from their getaway.
As they posted picturesque images, including a beautifully-lit embrace by the sea in the moonlight, Mollie told her Instagram followers: "I just wanted to post some cute photos because I love him so much."
Alex and Mollie have kept their relationship relatively private since meeting in 2019, but often share snippets of date nights with their fans online - including a recent romantic trip out to a restaurant where the soap star looked unrecognisable with his new facial hair.
The early days of the couple's relationship saw the future husband-and-wife face many challenges, due to Covid-19 restrictions implemented in March 2020 seeing them torn apart from one another.
Recalling how his little girl kept him going through the pandemic, Alex also opened up about his long-distance relationship to the Manchester Evening News at the time, saying: "When we were off for all that time, not working, I did feel a bit lost because I was working all the time and it is hard to get out of that work rhythm.
"I remember still getting up the day after we finished thinking I need to be ready for work and then remembering, 'oh no we're off because of Covid'."
He added: "I'm that type of person who likes to see people who I haven't seen for a while, especially when I finished my college course.
"I finished all my college online. I never saw any of my friends and some of them have gone off to Scotland, London and some have even gone off abroad and I haven't seen them."
"It was tough and then not being able to see my partner because she doesn't live in England. She lives just across the Welsh border," Alex went on.
And Blackburn native Alex said of his family: "I've spent a lot more time with my family because I was always off up and down the country going to see my girlfriend and coming back.
"I never really get time to sit down and just chill, have a brew and just talk to my family.
"Especially with my daughter Lydia, we've just been constantly watching films here at my house so it's great.
"She's keeping me going."
Alex also revealed that he and Mollie were gaming together on Animal Crossing as regulations keep them from travelling.
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