Mark Labbett is reportedly dating TV presenter Hayley Palmer following his split from his wife Katie.
Sources have claimed The Chase star, 57, recently formed a romance with the GB News star on a series of dates after being ‘friends for a while’.
It comes after Mark split from his wife Katie in 2020 after seven years of marriage, blaming lockdown, mental health and their huge age difference as the causes of their relationship ending.
According to a source, Mark and Hayley had a date on the beach in Portsmouth this week The sun: “They’ve been friends for a while and lately it’s blossomed into something more.”
But who is Hayley and how did Mark meet her?
New flames: Mark Labbett is reportedly dating presenter TV presenter Hayley Palmer (pictured in January) following his split from wife Katie
Who is Hayley Palmer?
Hayley is a TV presenter with nearly 30,000 followers on her Instagram page, where she often shares a glimpse into her career.
She regularly appears on GB News, where she recently hosted the entertainment segment, recalling the latest celebrity trends.
Hayley, from Portsmouth, also hosts her own weekly music and chat shows, including At Home With Hayley and Saturday Night With Hayley Palmer on Sky TV.
She has showcased an array of high-profile talent on her shows, including Strictly’s Anton Du Beke, Kimberly Wyatt, Faye Tozer and Lady Colin Campbell.
Her program At Home with Hayley was recently voted in the top 20 shows to watch in Closer Magazine, according to her website.
The star has completed an internship at ITV Studios and has hosted a host of events such as the National Television Awards and the launch of Dancing on Ice.
She recently co-hosted a brand new TOTP show with broadcaster Mike Read, while also hosting the four-part series The Ultimate Stock.
In a description on her website, Hayley describes “talking and music” as her greatest passions as she discussed her “dream job.”
Who is Hayley? The presenter (pictured in April) appears regularly on GB News, where she most recently hosted the entertainment segment
Presenter: Hayley has nearly 30,000 followers on her Instagram page, where she often shares a glimpse into her career
She said: ‘I like to hear people’s stories, talking and music are my greatest passions! I am so excited to do my dream job.
“I used to sit behind a desk and go through the motions of the day feeling unfulfilled, I just couldn’t think of how I would ever change my life.
‘I am living proof that you can do whatever you want if you have the right mindset. I would like to encourage everyone to follow their dreams.’
How did she meet Mark?
Hayley is said to have met Mark through her television work, and they were reportedly “friends” for a while before becoming closer.
In late April, Hayley took to her Instagram to share a photo of herself with Mark, best known for his alter ego The Beast on game show The Chase.
She shared a photo of them both looking competitive as they folded their arms and stared at each other, while Hayley shared that she went against him in a quiz.
Hayley put on a leggy display in a sassy dress, while Mark looked a snap in black slacks and a white shirt.
They posed outside the Mamma Mia Party venue at London’s O2 Arena as Hayley described their fun night in a caption.
She wrote: ‘If you think you’re better at 80s pop music questions than @markthebeastlabbett from The Chase!
‘Great evening @mammamiapartyuk with friends. Would recommend!’
New Romance! Hayley is said to have met Mark through her television work, and they were reportedly “friends” for a while before becoming closer.
Night out: In late April, Hayley took to her Instagram to share a photo of herself with Mark, best known for his alter ego The Beast on game show The Chase
When did they start dating?
It has been reported that Mark and Hayley took their romance public earlier this week by enjoying a date on the beach in Portsmouth.
A source told The Sun: “Mark and Hayley have been keeping it low key, but this week they went on a day date.
“The beach was busy and there were a lot of people around, but they were both comfortable with people who saw them as a couple, not just friends.”
It comes after Mark split from wife Katie after seven years of marriage, blaming lockdown, mental health and their huge age difference as the causes of their relationship ending.
In 2020, Mark revealed that he and Katie had split following their marriage in 2014, with the couple’s parents having a six-year-old son.
In a candid interview at the time, Mark admitted “it’s better for us to go our separate ways,” after the couple’s attempts to have an open marriage fell through.
He told The sun“There was never any cheating on Katie’s part, but it’s gotten to the point where I now realize it’s better for us to go our separate ways and stay friendly.”
While Katie added, “I just want everyone to know what’s what and we’re all happy.”
It has been revealed that Katie, who works as a nurse, has been seeing her senior design engineer, Scott Bate, 30, for 18 months.
Mark admitted that he felt she was hanging out with Scott, but decided to do things wisely for the sake of their son.
Exes: It comes after Mark split from wife Katie (both pictured in January 2018) after seven years of marriage, blaming lockdown, mental health and their huge age gap
Fame: Mark (pictured in 2018) is best known for his alter ego The Beast on game show The Chase
But when the lockdown came, things got tense between him and Katie and she started seeing Scott, which led to Mark making the decision to end their marriage for good.
He explained, “When Katie first told me about her boyfriend, I had a hunch. But from the start my attitude was quite pragmatic – this was spilled milk, what can we do to make amends?’
He added that because they had a “family” he could just “throw that lightly” as they had other “considerations”.
Mark and Katie married in October 2014 at Arundel Castle, West Sussex.