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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

The Chase star Mark Labbett finds love with TV presenter after marriage split

The Chase star Mark Labbett has found love once again with a younger woman following the end of his seven-year marriage in 2020.

Mark, also known as 'The Beast, is reportedly dating TV presenter Hayley Palmer, who is 16 years the quiz expert's junior.

The ITV star, 57, and Hayley, 41, have been keeping things low key but are said to be having "a really good time" together and share lots of similar interests.

Hayley, who fronts music shows At Home With Hayley and Saturday Night With Hayley Palmer, was introduced to The Chase star through work.

"It is very early days but Mark and Hayley are having a really good time together," a source close to the new couple has revealed.

"They have been friends for some time and recently things developed into something more."

The Chase star split from his wife Katie back in 2020 (Brett D. Cove / Splash News)
But The Beast has know found love again (Brett D. Cove / SplashNews.com)

Speaking to The Sun, the source added how the pair are having "a lot of fun together" and it's become clear to Mark's friend that he is smitten with his new beau.

The Chase star and his new lady were seen together in public on Tuesday, with the happy couple spotted soaking up the sun on the beach in Southsea, Portsmouth.

"Mark and Hayley have kept things low key but this week they headed out on a day-date," the source explained.

"The beach was busy and there were lots of people around but they both felt comfortable with people seeing them as a couple, not just friends."

They continued to add how things are "very new" for Mark and Hayley but they feel they have a connection.

Mark and Hayley met through work (markthebeastlabbett/Instagram)
The couple went public earlier this week (markthebeastlabbett/Instagram)

Prior to striking up a romance with Hayley, Mark was previously married to his second cousin Katie.

Katie, who is 27 years younger than Mark, tied the knot with The Chase star in October 2014 and went on to give birth to their son Lawrence, five.

Mark and Katie called it quits in 2020 - citing their age gap and Covid-19 lockdowns as reasons for going their separate ways after seven years of wedded bliss.

The ITV star left nurse Kate, 29, free to move in with her boyfriend Scott, after their attempt at an open marriage didn't work out.

The former couple first met via Facebook in 2010 - with Katie claiming at the time she had no idea her future husband was a TV star.

"I had never heard of Mark, or watched The Chase, but my gran mentioned him so I was intrigued," the mum-of-one explained.

The pair hit it off in 2012, after Mark invited Katie to watch a celebrity Chase special being filmed and going out for drinks.

Mark and Katie’s dads are first cousins - making the former couple second cousins - but both have always maintained they had no idea they were related until after their fairytale castle wedding.

"It wasn't something we were aware of at the time - it was one of those things that happened," Mark has previously stated during a joint chat with the Loose Women ladies prior to their eventual split.

Speaking last year about the split, Mark explained he was "too busy" for a new romance.

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