I'D NEVER HAVE EYES FOR ANYONE ELSE'

After battling illness, former Big Brother star Chanelle Hayes weds her knight in shining armour

- EVE MACDONALD

Everyone deserves a fairy-tale ending - and former Big Brother star Chanelle Hayes has found her Prince Charming in accountant Dan Bingham.

"He has got the patience of a saint," smiles Chanelle, 36, when we catch up at her home in Yorkshire - where she's proudly wearing a jumper that reads 'Wifey'. "I don't ever have to worry about anything where Dan's concerned."

And the embellishment on her jumper is exactly why we're here to chat - after a two-year engagement, Dan and Chanelle tied the knot on 28 June on a magical day at Northorpe Barn in Mirfield. Against a backdrop of stunning flowers and exposed stone walls, the couple said "I do" - with their own vows - in front of 110 of their nearest and dearest.

Dan and Chanelle first met in 2020, but kept their relationship relatively private, with Chanelle explaining Dan has "no interest" in fame. In fact, before their engagement in May 2022, when Dan got down on one knee while they were "hungover" after his 40th birthday, the TV star never publicly revealed his name and often concealed his identity on her social media.

But now she's ready to shout about her love from the rooftops - after the celebration that brought their two families together. "The wedding focused on love and on family, which is exactly what we wanted,” said Chanelle – who is mum to Blakely, 14, and six-year-old Frankie, and now stepmum to Dan’s daughter, Amelia, aged 16.

Like most brides, the lead up to her special day was full of excitement – and lots of planning. But it wasn’t all plain sailing for Chanelle, who was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) three years ago. Unfortunately, she experienced a flare-up just months before the wedding, causing her weight to plummet.