Strictly Come Dancing stars Katya and Neil Jones go on make-or-break trip to save their marriage after Seann Walsh smooch
Katya Jones was whisked away to Cambodia by her husband Neil the day after the final, before spending New Year in St Petersburg
STRICTLY’S Katya Jones almost saw her five-year marriage to husband Neil crumble after she waltzed off with her celebrity partner Seann Walsh last year.
But now the dancing couple have decided to give their relationship another cha-cha-chance with a make-or-break trip away to Cambodia.
We can reveal that Neil and Russian pro Katya jetted off the day after the December 15 Strictly Come Dancing final, won by Stacey Dooley.
A source said: “Those close to Neil and Katya have been saying this was a make-or-break holiday.
"Although they have both put on a brave face these past few months, it understandably caused massive issues when Katya was pictured snogging Seann.
“Neil really felt like the trust had gone and he wasn’t quite sure he knew who Katya was any more. They decided to go away for some time out of the spotlight so they could have some very frank conversations.
“Neil and Katya wanted to talk about how and if their relationship could move forward.”
And even though the pair enjoy sharing a huge portion of their lives on social media, they decided to go to ground and not post public snaps.
Instead they waited until after the trip, when they headed to Katya’s native St Petersburg for New Year, to resurface and confirm that they had decided to see in 2019 together.
The source added: “They know that second to saving their marriage they also have to work on rebuilding their public image.
“Katya begged for forgiveness and promised it would never happen again — while Neil agreed to move towards getting the trust back and putting it both behind them.”Neil will be now hoping Katya doesn’t put another foot wrong.
YASMIN'S SECRET WEAPON
YASMIN LE BON has undergone a life overhaul after becoming a new grandmother last year and celebrating her 33rd wedding anniversary.
The model and her Duran Duran singer husband Simon are now looking for a love nest in the South of France.
A source said: “They have already been house hunting in Villefranche-sur-Mer on the Riviera.”
Yasmin has also put herself on Lumity wellness and beauty supplements which are favoured by the likes of Chereyl Tweedy and Abbey Clancy.
She said: “They keep my skin radiant.”
Glad to see Beck of 2018
KATE BECKINSALE revealed she was “relieved” to see the back of 2018 on Instagram – and her choice of dress could be a message to Jack Whitehall that she has binned him.
The actress, who we revealed hooked up with the Brit comic in November, wore the bin bag-style PVC frock at W Magazine’s Pre-Golden Globes Party in LA on Friday night.
Meanwhile, at the nearby AACTA International Awards, Emily Blunt had a brighter outlook in a yellow gown.
SARA IS TUNED IN
SARA BAREILLES is flying the flag for women of the #MeToo generation with her West End show.
The US singer is the lyricist and composer of Waitress, which comes to London’s Adelphi Theatre on February 8 after three years and counting on Broadway.
The musical is the first show to feature an all-female creative team.
Sara told us: “It gives little girls who dream of being a composer, choreographer or lyricist a positive example.”
Who will snatch Bafta?
BRITAIN’S finest thespians will be rattling their tubs of popcorn in anticipation as the EE Baftas reveal this year’s nominations.
The announcement, which will be hosted by Bandersnatch’s Will Poulter and I, Daniel Blake’s Hayley Squires, takes place on Wednesday morning.
Emily Blunt, Olivia Coleman and Keira Knightly have all been tipped to receive nods.
On Thursday it was revealed that Black Panther actress Letitia Wright will battle it out with Jessie Buckley, Cynthia Erivo, Barry Keoghan and The Girl In The Spider’s Web actor Lakeith Stanfield for the Rising Star award.
The newcomers’ gong is the only Bafta voted for by the public.
Voting for the category is now open at ee.co.uk/bafta.
The winner of the Rising Star prize and all the other Baftas will be announced at the glitzy awards bash on February 10 at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
THERE’S set to be double the romance in Love Island this year with producers attempting to sign up a pair of sexy twins.
We hear that bosses sent out a bikini-clad researcher to Marbella last year to scout talent for the fifth series of the dating programme, which will begin this summer.
A source said: “The show’s team are trying out subtle tweaks to Love Island’s tried-and-tested formula.
“They think a pair of near-identical sisters or brothers would really get everybody talking – especially if they switched partners.”
This new format change is definitely our type on paper.
Ab-by New Year
WHEN it comes to the battle of the sexes, both packed a punch – and enviable abs – to welcome in the new year.
Calvin Harris’s girlfriend Aarika Wolf combined a Stetson and tan bikini to say: “Howdy 2019”.
Mariah Carey wore a glittering pink bikini in St Barts. Naturally, she had several diamond bracelets to match her two-piece when going for a dip.
Strictly’s Bruno Tonioli wore a pair of tiny budgie smugglers to leave no line of his six-pack uncovered.
Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo showed off his bod to his 150million followers.
And Mark Wahlberg revealed the power of starting your gym workouts at 3.40am as he took a dip in Barbados.
Paddy's so dishy
PADDY McGUINNESS became a heart-throb overnight after millions of women said they “likey” his buff topless snap.
The Take Me Out host unveiled a six-pack on social media to show he had dropped from 14st 7lb to just over 12st in four months thanks to good diet and training.
We can now reveal that Paddy turned to delivery firm Gymology UK to receive healthy dishes.
Forget the grub – Paddy is now looking pretty tasty himself.
M.C. Dan is a Lil bit embarrassed
LILY ALLEN didn’t get the happy ending she wanted with boyfriend Meridian Dan– because the grime MC was left mortified over her frank autobiography revelations.
The singer revealed earlier this week that they had ended their three-year relationship.
A source said: “Dan didn’t understand why Lily had to reveal to the world that her relationship with ex-husband Sam Cooper broke down after she slept with female prostitutes on tour.
“He was embarrassed by the incident and struggled to see a future with Lily after that.
“Dan also had concerns that Lily had returned to her old partying ways and was hanging out with the wrong crowd.
“Their dynamic shifted and she became more distant.”
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
Lily, who released her memoir My Thoughts Exactly in September, said in a new podcast chat on Wednesday: “I’m single for the first time since I was about 15.
“I’ve just come back from a tour in America, which is where I was when things went wrong with Sam, and the same thing happened in my current relationship.
“I didn’t take lots of drugs and have lots of sex with other people. I just became lost.”
Hopefully Lily’s next chapter will be sweeter.