TV presenter Rylan Clark has found love again with a funfair rides director named Kennedy, with the couple becoming “inseparable” over the summer months and already discussing starting a family together.
The former X Factor star, 36, has been quietly dating Kennedy, who works as a director at the renowned Billy Bates & Sons funfair in Leicester, for several months. The romance marks Rylan’s first serious relationship since his divorce from Dan Neal in 2021.
Speaking on Louis Theroux’s How To Be In Love podcast, which aired on 20 August, Rylan gushed about his new romance, saying: “At this time I’m very happy. Recently I have gotten into a relationship and it’s great.”
First Introduction to Family
The This Morning host revealed that Kennedy is the first person he’s introduced to his family in the four years since his marriage breakdown, marking a significant milestone in their relationship.
“It feels very different to anything I’ve had before, which is a good sign to me,” Rylan told Theroux. “It’s the first person I’ve met in four years that I’ve introduced to my family.”
The significance of this step cannot be understated, given the emotional toll Rylan’s divorce took on him. The presenter previously revealed he became “dangerously thin” and had to learn to walk and talk again following his split from Neal.
Children on the Horizon
In a candid exchange with documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux, 55, the conversation turned to the topic of children. When asked if he’d been thinking about starting a family, Rylan’s response was immediate and heartfelt.
“Yeah I want kids. He wants kids,” the presenter revealed, suggesting the couple are already aligned on their future together despite the relationship being relatively new.
Summer of Love
A source close to the couple told The Sun on Sunday: “This new man has certainly put a smile back on Rylan’s face and they have been enjoying spending lots of time together.
The insider revealed the pair have been “inseparable” throughout the summer, attending numerous gigs together including Oasis concerts. “Rylan’s friends and family have all met him and they make a lovely couple,” the source added.
About Kennedy’s Business
Kennedy works as a director at Billy Bates & Sons, a historic funfair company that has been entertaining Leicester residents for over 100 years. The family-run business, which spans seven generations, is a beloved fixture in the local community.
The funfair operates throughout Leicester, with the Bates family taking pride in their long-standing connection to the city. Kennedy Bates himself has spoken about growing up in the fairground industry, starting work at just 11 years old selling balloons at the fair.
Billy Bates & Sons maintains a strong social media presence with over 20,000 followers on Facebook and regularly operates at venues including Abbey Park during the summer months from July to August.
Moving Forward from Heartbreak
Rylan’s new romance comes four years after his painful split from ex-husband Dan Neal. The couple had met in 2013 when Rylan was presenting Big Brother’s Bit On The Side and Dan was a contestant in the house. They married in 2015 in a star-studded ceremony but divorced in 2021.
The presenter has been open about the devastating impact of the divorce, admitting he had been unfaithful during their relationship. At his lowest point, Rylan revealed he attempted suicide twice and suffered two heart failures due to the stress of the separation.
“I got so ill to the point where I knew I couldn’t get any iller. I couldn’t speak; I had to learn to speak again, I had to learn to move again – it was like I’d had a stroke,” he previously told The Guardian.
Dating Struggles
Before meeting Kennedy, Rylan had struggled with dating in the public eye. Earlier this year on Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour, he revealed he’d only been on two dates in two years.
“One of them was really, really great and was going well. And then my job was just too much for his life,” he explained. “And then the other one was so interested in my job, he decided to call the press.”
The presenter added: “I need somebody in the middle that can deal with it, but don’t want it.
Looking to the Future
It appears Kennedy fits that description perfectly. As someone who works in the entertainment industry himself, albeit in a different capacity, he understands the demands of public life whilst maintaining his own career and identity.
Rylan’s podcast series How To Be In Love has seen him exploring relationships and love with various celebrity guests including Stephen Fry, Matt and Emma Willis, and Tasha Ghouri. The series has allowed him to “rediscover what love is” following his divorce.
The presenter, who also hosts Saturday afternoons on BBC Radio 2 and regularly appears on This Morning, seems to have found his happiness again. With discussions about children already on the table, it appears this fairground romance could be heading for a happy ending.
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