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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Victoria Johns

Who is Chelcee Grimes? Footballer and singer turned reality star with a Love Island ex

Chelcee Grimes got tongues wagging when she was seen sharing a smooch with Paddy McGuinness' ex, Christine, last week.

The Liverpool born songwriter, 30, has had no shortage of suitors – including her ex, Love Island star Megan Barton Hanson.

Away from her love life, Chelcee has packed a lot into her 30 years, including a career as a successful footballer.

So as the star hits the headlines with BFF Christine, we find out more about the unstoppable Ms Grimes.

Football career

Chelcee played for Liverpool Ladies aged just 10.

At 16 she decided to pursue a music career, but continued to represent clubs including Fulham, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Tranmere Rovers and her current team, Merseyrail Ladies.

In 2020 and 2021 Chelcee took part in Unicef's star-studded football match Soccer Aid.

The star got her boots on again in June this year up when she played in the World XI.

Chelcee is also a fan of sports presenting on TV and hosted the Fifa Women's World Cup 2019, MOTDx as well as her own BBC sports show Chelcee Away.

In July 2021, the footballer presented several mini-series for BT Sports, including Para Football and Adventures.

Successful songwriter

Chelcee has had a enviable music career, with her debut single, Just Like That, amassing 100,000 views on YouTube within 24 hours.

In 2014, Grimes won the award for Best Up and Coming New Act at the Juice FM Style Awards.

The star is an accomplished recording artist and songwriter (WireImage)

However, Chelcee's sterling success came as a songwriter, with the star penning hits for the likes of Dua Lipa, Olly Murs and Kylie Minogue.

Speaking about her achievement, she told the BBC: "My first song that I got cut was for Kylie Minogue, which was crazy. It was like Kylie Minogue, Pharell, Chelsee Grimes. I was like 'how did that happen?'"

When asked if her life as songwriter had an effect on the football pitch, she told 90 minutes last month: "A few weeks ago I was having a bit of a wrestle with the centre back, and the ball's come out to me and I've just hit it straight at the keeper. And she's turned round to me and said: 'it's a good job you're better at song writing than football.'"

Reality TV star

Chelcee has competed in several reality TV shows, including Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof and The Games.

The footballer won the ITV endurance show earlier this year after an impressive display on both track and field.

Chelcee won ITV's The Games - where she met Christine (Nicky Johnston/REX/Shutterstock)

The star stormed the field, winning by a huge distance and beating Mel B's daughter Phoenix Chi by almost a second.

Of course Chelcee didn't just bag a medal from the show - she also bagged a new BFF - Christine McGuinness.

Love life

It's fair to say Ms Grimes is not short of suitors.

The talented performer went public with Love Island's Megan Barton Hanson in 2019 after the bombshell split with TOWIE's Demi Sims.

Megan confirmed the pair's romance sharing a number of vids of the pair snogging, however the couple called it quits, citing the restrictions of lockdown.

The songwriter dated Megan Barton Hanson (Getty Images)
Chelcee is now rumoured to be dating Christine (Instagram)

Last year Chelcee moved from London back to her native Liverpool, telling OK! magazine : "I am just so happy where I am in my life right now. In my twenties I maybe would stay in relationships.

"I was lonely in London - that is the honest truth of it. The relationships I was in while I was living in London - they just wouldn’t happen now because I am so at peace."

They looked very peaceful last week when she was photographed snogging Christine McGuinness.

The pair have been on a number of holidays together (Instagram)

The pair have been inseparable since meeting on The Games earlier this year and have been a string of holidays together.

Opening up about her sexuality, Chelcee told Gay Times in 2019: "It's not about body parts, it's about the person.

"It's about what's upstairs, not downstairs."

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