Rachel Stevens is facing a whirlwind of emotions after falling for her Dancing on Ice partner, Brendyn Hatfield. The S Club star, 45, recently opened up about how her budding romance with the professional skater, 38, led to a “messy and scary” split from her ex-husband, Alex Bourne. The pair, who were paired together on the ITV show in early 2022, struck up a friendship that eventually blossomed into something more, culminating in Rachel’s divorce announcement later that year.
Rachel admitted that the situation left her in turmoil, especially concerning her daughters, Amelie, 12, and Minnie, 9, whom she shares with Alex. Speaking to The Sun, she confessed, “The split was messy. I knew we were growing apart, but I was in turmoil because of my kids.” She also recalled the fear she felt when she had to tell Alex about her feelings for Brendyn, saying, “It was really scary because I knew as soon as I said that, that was it.”
Despite the challenges, Rachel and Brendyn went public with their relationship in November. The couple, who were eliminated from the skating competition in Week 4, didn’t let their early exit affect their growing bond. A source close to Rachel mentioned, “Rachel had a great friendship and partnership with Brendyn, and it keeps developing. She wasn’t expecting to find love again at this stage in her life, but she’s feeling positive about what’s to come.”
Rachel announced her divorce on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the life she and Alex built together. “After time and consideration, the difficult decision has been made for Alex and I to separate. While we are no longer partners in marriage, we will remain partners in parenthood to our beautiful girls and continue with love and respect for each other,” she wrote.
Rachel and Alex, who were childhood sweethearts, married in 2009 at Claridge’s in London. Their wedding was a star-studded affair, with her S Club 7 bandmates in attendance. The couple’s split was amicable, with Rachel emphasizing their commitment to co-parenting their daughters. “It’s only the last two weeks that we’ve not been living together. That was definitely difficult. We’re doing it with love and respect, but it’s a process,” she said.
Earlier this year, Rachel and Brendyn shared a rare Instagram snap, looking every inch the loved-up couple. The singer posted a selfie of the duo soaking up the sun in a swimming pool, captioning it with heartfelt words about their relationship. Brendyn also took to Instagram to gush over Rachel, writing, “Having a much-needed holiday together with my love. It’s been nice to finally stop for a moment and take it all in. Couldn’t have made it through all the chaos without the help of this beautiful soul.”
Rachel’s journey from a married woman to finding love again has been anything but smooth. She admitted that the split from Alex was “really painful and sad,” but she remains hopeful about her future with Brendyn. “We are going to mess up and make mistakes. But we are acknowledging that to them, and I feel so lucky,” she said.
Brendyn, who reportedly separated from his wife Jessica around three years ago, has also been navigating his own personal challenges. It was reported last May that he welcomed a child with a TV executive who worked on Dancing on Ice while his romance with Rachel was in its early days.
As Rachel and Brendyn continue to build their relationship, they are also focused on blending their families. On Boxing Day 2023, Rachel shared a photo of their “blended” Christmas with their children, captioning it, “A beautiful blended Christmas with our babas. Hope you had a gorgeous day with your loved ones.”
Rachel Stevens’ story is a testament to the complexities of love and relationships. Despite the turmoil and fear, she has found a new beginning with Brendyn Hatfield, and the couple is looking forward to what the future holds.
