6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
The Chase's Mark Labbett shares dating fears in heartbreaking admission
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Mark Labbett has opened up about his deeply personal dating struggles, admitting he's remained "single for most of his life" and describing himself as "quite a late developer."
The 59-year-old, who's become a household name on The Chase since 2009, has now signed up for the upcoming series of Celebs Go Dating on Channel 4.
Known as 'The Beast' on the ITV show, Mark, who recently had a health scare, stands as one of the original 'Chasers' alongside Shaun Wallace.
Later on, fans saw Anne Hegerty, Paul Sinha, Jenny Ryan and Darragh Ennis join the team.
Following his rise to fame on the ITV quiz programme, Mark has also captured public attention through his remarkable weight loss transformation, and has recently been romantically linked with showbiz presenter Hayley Palmer.
(Image: ITV)
In an exclusive conversation with Express Online, Mark candidly discussed his involvement in the dating programme and reflected on his romantic experiences during his younger days, reports the Express.
"I've never done television like this before, so it was a chance to branch out a little bit and see what it's like on the other side of the TV business, and I think it's fair to say it was a real eye opener," Mark confessed.
"In fairness, I've been single most of my life, and you get very comfortable about being single, so I'm trying to put it in words. It's a new experience. I thought, 'Let's give it a try.'"
(Image: Channel 4)
When pressed about his very first romantic encounter, Mark disclosed: "Going back to Oxford [University] because I was quite a late developer, and let's just say it didn't last long, and we'll leave it at that."
Before joining the programme, Mark had been in a relationship with entertainment presenter Hayley Palmer. The duo shared an intense year-long romance but shocked fans when they revealed their separation mere days before reaching their one-year milestone.
Mark allegedly terminated their relationship via telephone call, which Hayley described as "really hard."
(Image: ITV)
The former pair had made an appearance on Loose Women just days prior to Mark ending things during a brief three-minute conversation in May 2024.
Hayley previously told MailOnline, "I never thought in a million years he'd go on a dating show after such a painful and public breakup."
"I genuinely wish him well. I am excited for him to start a new chapter in his life, just like I am."
The new series of Celebs Go Dating launches at 9pm on E4.
