Richie Myler has made a big decision over his social media after addressing 'abusive' messages he has recieved following his split from Helen Skelton. The Leeds Rhinos rugby player and current Strictly Come Dancing star announced their split earlier this year.
Helen, 39, announced back in April that her eight-year marriage to the Richie had ended. The announcement came just four months after she gave birth to their third child. Helen and Richie welcomed their baby daughter Elsie Kate on December 28. They also have two young sons Ernie, seven, and Louis, five.
"Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple," the Countryfile host posted at the time. "He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children." Helen has since revealed that she has quit her family home in Leeds to move back in with her parents on their farm in the Lake District.
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It means her mum and dad can help take care of her three young kids while she tackles her work commitments on Strictly and ITV's Lorraine, where she has joined a brand new 'Me Time' campaign.
And now Richie, who has since struck up a new relationship with girlfriend Stephanie Thirkill, has addressed his followers after receiving a barrage of negative comments on social media. Revealing that his Instagram page is now private, the sportsman revealed in a post on his Instagram Story that he will be keeping his personal life private as he removes his followers "one by one".
"I've decided to put my profile private from now on," he wrote. "If you are on here to share my photos or stories of me and my life maliciously to other people or waste your time sending me abusive messages please just unfollow me.
"I'm going to start removing people from my account one by one, so if you are a genuine rugby fan and I accidentally remove you I apologise in advance and will accept you back! Thank you Richie."
It comes after he shared a rare snap of the three children he shares with Helen with their grandmother, Richie's mum, Margaret Myler, as they watched their dad play rugby. A second snap showed the two boys smiling with Richie on the pitch. Richie captioned the post: "Grateful", but as with all of Richie's posts following his split from Helen, the comments have been limited. However, there is one comment underneath from his mum, who typed: "Amazing time had by all."
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