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Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Pregnant Liz McClarnon's rocky road to happiness: Atomic Kitten singer searched for love with a slew of pop stars, a demanding millionaire and even on Celebrity Love Island - before finding her eternal flame
Liz McClarnon revealed this week that she is expecting her first child after a journey of 'painful IVF and dark times' in a two-decade struggle to conceive. The singer, 44, is expecting with her husband Peter Cho, whose identity she kept secret until they quietly tied the knot in June 2023. Yet despite finding her happy ending with Peter, Liz has chosen to keep their relationship out of the spotlight - not revealing any other details than his name and rarely posting about him on social media. Her fiercely private romance follows on from a string of high profile flings, which included dalliances with a millionaire businessman and several household names. As a result, the public watched on as she was drawn into slanging matches with boyband members and nursed a broken heart after a relationship with a footballer. It was hardly surprising that as a member of Atomic Kitten - of one of Britain's biggest girlbands in the Nineties - interest in Liz's love life was at an all time high. Yet it was her intense work commitments that brought an end to her first serious romance, and in 2001 she split from her childhood sweetheart, Tommy Hibbs. Having met aged 14, Liz thought she had found her eternal flame with warehouse manager Tommy, with the couple planning to tie the knot in 2021. Yet she called off her wedding just months before it was due to take place, admitting: 'We'd been together for a long time but being in the band has taken its toll. 'Our schedule over the past few months has been unbelievable and it got to a point where I hardly saw Tommy at all, but we are still the best of friends.' Still holding on hope that they could patch things up in the future, she continued: 'Who knows, one day we'll [maybe] be able to sort this out. For now, I'm sad to say that we're no longer together.' Yet work showed no sign of slowing down, with the band securing their second no 1 hit with Eternal Flame, and Liz on the promo trail just days after calling off her engagement. It put the final nail in the coffin for Liz and her childhood love, who she had previously credited with keeping her grounded. Yet the writing may have already been on the wall for the pair when they announced with their engagement, with Liz saying at the time: 'People in the music business are always trying to split us up. 'They said I would forget him when the band took off - he's even been described as my toy boy - but the truth is I love him more than anything in the world.' She added that she had said yes to his proposal because he brought her a much needed sense of 'comfort and security'. Following their split, Liz was briefly linked to England football legend Frank Lampard, but the pair did not speak out on the romance rumours. Up next was Lee Ryan - who as a member of Blue - knew all about life in the music industry and the public eye. The couple dated on and off for two years and were even briefly engaged before they split for good in 2003 amid allegations that Lee had slept with a lap dancer. Yet Lee insisted he was the one to call things off, saying later: 'It just wasn't right any more.' Opening up about their split, Liz told Closer: 'I'd never date another celebrity again. I was engaged to Lee and I didn't like having our relationship in the spotlight. 'For me, it leads to paranoia. You read things about each other and wonder who said what.' Yet this mentality didn't last long and she soon began dating Kian Egan - who she had met when Atomic Kitten and Westlife were on the Smash Hits Tour. Speaking about their budding romance, Liz said in 2003: 'Kian is really lovely. It's early days and we are both really happy. Let's just wait and see what happens.' Meanwhile, a friend of Kian's said that the star was impressed by Liz's high IQ, noting: 'He keeps telling everyone how intelligent she is. It's sweet. 'He really missed her when she was away with the rest of the band.' They added: 'Liz isn't some star-struck groupie. She is a successful and ambitious woman who knows what the industry is like.' But within two months, the relationship had soured, and Kian went on to insist the short-lived fling was a mistake. Speaking to Now magazine, he said: 'It was so bizarre and I'll never go back there. Liz is one strange cookie.' Hitting back at the reports he had been trying to win Liz back, he claimed: 'From the day we broke up I've never called her number in my life and believe me, she's called mine. 'It was splashed over the papers that I'd been pestering her and calling her when I was drunk, begging her to take me back. But it was quite the opposite. I was certainly not obsessed with her.' With another failed romance, Liz thought she'd try her luck on Celebrity Love Island in 2005, where she was was coupled up with Lee Sharpe - but the pair's relationship remained platonic. She still found a man, however, enjoying a brief dalliance with a member of the crew, who she did not name. Reflecting on their romance, she said: 'He walked up to me at the wrap party and was really sweet, very attractive and very nice. We hit it off that night. 'We did talk on the phone and stuff, it's cool. He's a nice guy and it wasn't that I don't like him or anything like that, but he's in Australia. 'We are just good friends now and that's honestly it. Nothing's going to happen there at all.' It was then that Liz vowed to stay away from men for a period, saying: I can't be bothered with dating or huge egos any more. 'Huge egos scare me because it's very delusional to believe everyone loves you. Whatever man I end up with, I doubt he will be a celebrity.' Yet while Liz's next romance saw her move away from the music industry's dating pool, she still dated a big name, footballer Lee Trundle. While he too was in the public eye, Liz admitted she didn't know who the Bristol City striker was when he approached her in a Liverpool nightclub but he won her over by making her laugh. The pair moved in together briefly but their romance came to an end by November 2007, with Liz later saying it was 'very lonely' having a relationship with the footballer. She told The Sun: 'There are a lot of fixtures to play and a fair bit of travelling, so sometimes it was hard to see each other. 'My relationship with Lee sort of came to an end. We didn't love each other anymore and the split was amicable.' Despite struggling to make it work with a footballer, her next boyfriend was also a sporting icon - Harlequins rugby star Ryan O'Neill. The pair had known each other for 12 years - even enjoying a brief fling when Liz was in her 20s - before they decided to make a proper go of it. They moved in together and got engaged but Liz insisted she was in no rush to tie the knot, saying: 'I've no need for marriage, apart from the fact that I'd like to be married before I have children. But that won't happen tomorrow. 'And you can plan a wedding very quickly, so you never know! I'm very interested in sparkly things, though - I could be engaged forever.' Unfortunately, the romance fizzled out and they split in 2014 after two years together. She met her next partner, millionaire businessman Andy Scott in 2016, but their relationship faltered after two years because Liz didn't like flying. He told Femail: 'We're still good friends and she's a lovely girl, but I'm a risk-taker and an adventurer.' The businessman - founder, owner and chairman of London-based investment company REL Capital - went on to make a public plea for a new partner, saying he wanted to find a 'special person' who was free to spend her summers sailing around the Mediterranean and winters skiing in the Alps. With a string of very public romances under her belt, it made sense that Liz wants to keep details of her current partner to a minimum. In 2022, Liz shocked fans and friends alike when she announced she was engaged while wishing her husband-to-be a happy birthday. She took to Instagram to share a snap of her embracing her mysterious fiancé, surprising many of her friends who took to the comments. Her large diamond engagement ring was visible on her ring finger, while she kept the identity of the man a secret. Captioning the black-and-white photo she wrote: 'Happy birthday to my husband-to-be. 'YEP! I'm going to marry the most beautiful human I've ever known and it's his birthday today. Double yay!' In June last year, Liz revealed the identity of her husband as they celebrated their first wedding anniversary. The singer took to her Stories with two snaps of her handsome spouse, after his face was previously masked by confetti i n the photo from their big day. Alongside a snap of Peter in the sunshine, Liz wrote: 'Guess what?! I've been married to my perfect match for a whole year, I love you Peter Cho!' On Tuesday, Liz revealed the couple were expecting their first child together, sharing a video in which she showed off her baby bump. During the video, she said: 'I've been keeping a secret from you, and I've mostly kept myself off social media because sometimes it was hard to smile. 'But after years of sometimes quite painful IVF and dark times, I'm pregnant! We feel like we've been given the world.' Liz captioned the post: 'I started to record a video of me just telling you but I got too emotional so I thought I'd just hide behind this little announcement instead. 'I just can't believe we're here. So many have been through exactly what I went through and worse. ❤️ 'I want to share what I can and add my voice and ears to those who already help others understand or deal with all that comes with IVF and loss after so much hope. 'I've been a part of some beautifully supportive communities. I'm so grateful.'
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
From Love Island stint to a cancelled wedding & VERY bitter split… how Atomic Kitten's Liz McClarnon finally found love
Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... ATOMIC Kitten star Liz McClarnon has revealed she is pregnant with her "miracle" first child after two decades of struggling to conceive. Liz, 44, "couldn't be happier" to be expecting a baby with husband Peter Cho, who she married in secret two years ago in the Lake District. 11 11 These days she prefers to keep her private life out of the limelight, rarely sharing pictures of her hubby. For Liz it's been a long and sometimes rocky road to her happy ever after, following a string of famous boyfriends back in her Atomic Kitten heyday. In 2001 she cancelled her wedding to childhood sweetheart Tommy Hibbs. The couple, who met when Liz was just 14, had been together for over four years when the pressure of her pop career took its toll on their romance. Just before the split it looked like Liz and warehouse manager Tommy were in it for the long-haul as they planned to buy an apartment together in the docklands area of their home town, Liverpool, but sadly the relationship came to an end. "We'd been together for a long time but being in the band has taken its toll,' said the singer at the time. 'Our schedule over the past few months has been unbelievable and it got to a point where I hardly saw Tommy at all, but we are still the best of friends. 'And, who knows, one day we'll be able to sort this out. For now, I'm sad to say that we're no longer together.' There was more sadness to come for Liz as she lost her 18-year-old stepbrother in a car crash. 'Mark and I were close… I knew I could always count on him,' she wrote in her book Atomic Kitten: So Good So Far. 11 11 11 'When he was killed it was like having the heart torn out of me.' Liz admitted, adding she was 'already going through a very emotionally disturbing time' post break-up. 'I thought I was losing it,' she revealed. 'I felt really messed up.' In March 2002, Liz began dating former Chelsea footballer Frank Lampard, but they split after nine months. Liz went on to date Lee Ryan of boyband Blue, with their relationship being played out in the public eye given that they were both members of chart-topping groups. They got engaged in 2003 after Lee proposed in an Oxford hotel, but called off their romance shortly afterwards, with Liz claiming she didn't like dating a fellow celebrity. Opening up about their decision to end things, Liz told Closer: 'I'd never date another celebrity again. 'I was engaged to Lee and I didn't like having our relationship in the spotlight.' But despite her vows to stay away from famous men, she went on to have an ill-fated romance with Westlife star Kian Egan shortly afterwards. They had been friends for years on the music circuit, but got together at London nightclub Click. But the relationship did not last long and Kian went on to launch a blistering attack on his ex. The Irish singer said their fling was one of the biggest mistakes of his life, claiming she stalked him by phone. The then 23-year-old star revealed: "It was so bizarre and I'll never go back there. Liz is one strange cookie." At the time it was claimed Liz had dumped Kian, who reportedly became obsessed with the Liverpool-born singer and was desperate to win her back. But furious Kian insisted that wasn't the case and was determined to set the record straight. Speaking to Now magazine, he said: "From the day we broke up I've never called her number in my life and believe me, she's called mine." Kian claimed she had repeatedly phoned him for months but he would not take her calls. He added: "It was splashed over the papers that I'd been pestering her and calling her when I was drunk, begging her to take me back. "But it was quite the opposite. I was certainly not obsessed with her.' It was splashed over the papers that I'd been pestering [Liz] and calling her when I was drunk, begging her to take me back. But it was quite the opposite. I was certainly not obsessed with her Kian Egan Liz laughed off his claims and went on to join the cast of the first ever series of Love Island in 2005. She was latterly rumoured to have had a fling with lothario Calum Best, who was also on the series. In 2007 she met Swansea City footballer Lee Trundle in a nightclub in their hometown of Liverpool. The two also had something in common – they were both mad fans of Everton. 11 11 They moved in together and Liz boasted how Lee was the man of her dreams - and admitted his then six-year-old daughter Brooke had made her broody. 'She's an absolute angel and I love her so much,' said Liz. 'I think I knew I was taken with the whole thing of Lee as a package when I'd been for lunch with my mum and my auntie and I realised that I really missed Brooke and wanted to call her. Then I realised that was it, I was done for!' Despite their common ground, this relationship also faltered and they split the following year. After Lee she went on to date her friend of 12 years - Harlequins rugby star Ryan O'Neill. The couple were together for two years from 2012 to 2014. They had dated briefly when Liz was 20, but the pressure of being in the band yet again proved too much and they split. Liz explained: 'This time around we're ready for it and it's fab. We're hoping to buy a house together in London. I do want children, and love the idea of a fairytale – that we'll end up together and get married Liz McClarnon on Ryan O'Neill romance 'He's a very beautiful, incredible person and he's very special to me. 'I do want children, and love the idea of a fairytale – that we'll end up together and get married.' But their fairytale wedding wasn't to be. Shortly after they split she said of potential motherhood: 'I think I've been quite strong about not having babies with the wrong people. 'Some people think I haven't had the chance but I made a conscious decision not to have children with the people I was with.' Secret battle But motherhood was not going to come easily to Liz, as she revealed to fans on social media this week when she announced her pregnancy. Behind her smiles and confident stage performances, she was secretly going through a battle with infertility and underwent IVF to conceive. During the video she said: 'I've been keeping a secret from you, and I've mostly kept myself off social media because sometimes it was hard to smile. 'But after years of sometimes quite painful IVF and dark times, I'm pregnant! We feel like we've been given the world.' She added: 'I just can't believe we're here. So many have been through exactly what I went through and worse. 'I want to share what I can and add my voice and ears to those who already help others understand or deal with all that comes with IVF and loss after so much hope.' I want to share what I can and add my voice and ears to those who already help others understand or deal with all that comes with IVF and loss after so much hope Liz McClarnon Her bandmate Natasha Hamilton was one of the first to congratulate her, writing: "Literally couldn't be any happier for you both! After all you've been through, this little miracle is everything.' Liz's bundle of joy will be the 14th child born to the band's stars. Natasha, 42, has five children by five different dads. Son Josh, 22, with her bodyguard ex Fran Cosgrave; Harry, 20, with actor Gavin Hatcher; Alfie, 14, with ex-husband Riad Erraji; Ella, nine, with boyband star Ritchie Neville, and Kitty, 18 months, with husband Charles Gay. Kerry Katona is also a mum of five, sharing kids Molly, 23, and Lilly Sue, 22, with first husband Brian McFadden; Heidi, 18, and Max, 17, with second husband Mark Croft, and youngest, DJ, 11, with late husband George Kay. Jenny Frost has three children; eldest son Caspar, 17, with her ex-fiance Dominic Thrupp, and 12-year-old twin daughters Blake and Nico with her husband Vicente Spiteri.
