Hayley Palmer has broken her silence after learning that her ex Mark Labbett has signed up for Celebs Go Dating. The pair enjoyed a whirlwind romance that lasted under a year, with fans left in shock when they called it quits just days after their first anniversary.

Mark, known as The Beast on ITV's The Chase, ended their relationship over the phone, which Hayley previously described as "really hard" and said that she couldn't even get out of bed. The former couple had appeared on Loose Women just days earlier before Mark called it quits over a three-minute chat in May 2024. 

Hayley told MailOnline, "I never thought in a million years he’d go on a dating show after such a painful and public breakup." She previously claimed Mark ended their romance because he "didn't want to divorce his ex Katie."

She added, "I genuinely wish him well. I am excited for him to start a new chapter in his life, just like I am." Katie and Mark split in 2020 after seven years of marriage and continue to co-parent their son, Lawrence. 

Speaking about the break-up to the Sun, Hayley recalled: "I think you go through stages of a break-up and it was...it was really hard to begin with and I couldn't even get out of bed.

According to the Sun, Hayley is now rumoured to be connected to reality TV star Ben Jardine. The publication reported that Hayley's mystery man is a millionaire property developer who once appeared on Married At First Sight.

They reported: “Since her split from Mark, Hayley’s been slowly finding her confidence again, and Ben’s been a huge support.

“They’ve known each other for a while, but things started to take off after he went to her birthday party in July, and they’ve been growing closer ever since.

"They’ve even landed a presenting gig at The Boat Show comedy club together, which has given them the chance to really enjoy each other’s company."

Express Online have approached Mark, Hayley and Ben's representatives for comment.