Jailbird ex, Love Island flings & public dumping – inside Ferne McCann’s turbulent relationships as she ‘denies split’
THERE’S no doubt that Ferne McCann has had some turbulent relationships over the years.
From her jailbird ex to a public TOWIE Twitter dumping, the ‘unlucky in love’ mum-of-two, 34, who has previously admitted to being a ‘sucker for love’, hasn’t had the smoothest of relationship journeys.
Yesterday, the former TOWIE star was forced to deny splitting from her fiance Lorri Haines.
After deleting all traces of Lorri, also known as Lozza, from her Instagram, the reality TV veteran quickly flocked to her social media stories to address the rumours, just 16 months after the pair had their first child together.
The 34-year-old confirmed that she is still very much with the father of her daughter Finty, one, and revealed that things are going so well that they are once again sharing a bed.
Speaking as she was training for Dancing On Ice, Ferne said: “I have got to jump on my stories because I have just arrived at the Dancing On Ice studios and I have had about ten texts from my friends and family in the last five minutes to ask if Lorri and I have split up.
“We haven’t. I am just as miffed. We are still very much together, living together, we are even back in the same bed.”
Ferne and Lorri, the chief executive officer of Shoorah Ltd, a well-being and mental health tech startup, welcomed their daughter Finty just 16 months ago, after a whirlwind romance which saw them get engaged in 2022.
After Ferne was forced to deny her split, here we take a look at her previous relationships – from flings with Love Islanders to a romance with a convicted acid attacker.
Jack Padgett
Prior to meeting her ‘Mind Nestor and Speaker’ fiance Lorri, the blonde beauty, who has her own TV show, My Family & Me, was in a relationship with Jack Padgett.
In February 2021, Ferne confirmed her romance with Jack, with the star sharing a loved-up snap of the pair.
The couple kept their relationship under wraps for a while, but days before the announcement, Ferne had revealed during an appearance on Loose Women that she had a new man.
The busy mum, who is set to star in the next series of Dancing on Ice, explained that her romance with the model was going well, and told how they were actually living together at the time.
But despite Ferne declaring Jack was ‘the one’ at the time, the pair broke up in June 2021 after deciding they wanted different things in life.
Albie Gibbs
Before her relationship with Jack, in December 2018, Ferne met Albie Gibbs during a holiday to Dubai and the pair began dating in 2019.
Albie and Ferne kept their relationship out of the limelight, with Albie reportedly uninterested in living the celebrity lifestyle.
Ferne opened up about their romance on a few occasions, and once revealed her hopes to settle down with him.
We have broken up and it is proper s**t
Ferne
However, whilst Albie was based in New York, the distance proved too difficult for the pair.
The couple parted ways during the coronavirus pandemic after they couldn’t see each other and at the time, heartbroken Ferne opened up about the split.
She said: “How can I see a future with someone when I can’t physically be with them for the foreseeable future? I was naive to think the long distance thing would be OK.”
She added: “We have broken up and it is proper s**t.
“It sucks to say that I think he was the right guy, and I want to stress this, the right guy at the wrong time.”
Jordan Hames
Also in 2019, Ferne had a short-lived fling with Love Island star Jordan Hames.
Things come to an end after the pair were spotted all over each other at an event, but the couple claimed their public snog was “no big deal.”
At the time, Ferne said: “It was a one-off, one-night thing – it was very casual.
I want someone who makes me laugh, but who’s got himself together
Ferne
“I saw him at the Animal Hero Awards, and then he met me in London a few days later for a cup of tea. But that was it.
“He’s not my ‘one’, and I don’t think I’m his. We’re at two completely different stages in our lives.
“I want to get married and have more children soon. I want someone who makes me laugh, but who’s got himself together.
“Someone who’s kind and who I just click with and can just be myself with. There’s a lot on my list!”
Charlie Brake
Before snogging Jordan, Ferne had another fling with another ex-Islander.
In October 2018, Ferne was pictured all over Love Island millionaire Charlie Brake.
The former TOWIE star was seen holding hands with the then 23-year-old during an evening out in London.
Ferne held hands with Charlie as they walked along the street together and then stood chatting with friends as they waited for a car in the early hours of the morning before climbing into the vehicle together.
Speaking to OK! Magazine at the time, Ferne explained: “I got pictured with him on a night out with mates and before I know it we’re “in a relationship”.
“A picture can say a thousand words. I might have to do a Harry and Meghan and date in secret.”
She then added: “Yes, I think Charlie’s handsome, but right now, I haven’t got the time to date.
“My New Year’s resolution is to make time to date, but my priority is obviously Sunday.”
Arthur Collins
Charlie Brake was Ferne’s first fling after her very public break-up with her acid attacker ex, Arthur Collins.
Ferne first dated Arthur in 2016, but the pair briefly split before rekindling their romance.
They went public with their relationship and enjoyed a series of lavish holidays together, sharing numerous pictures on social media.
Who is Arthur Collins?
ARTHUR Collins, who dated reality TV star Ferne McCann, carried out a horrific acid attack in a London nightclub back in 2017.
The thug — who’s the father of Ferne’s daughter, Sunday — was found guilty of the April 2017 attack after a trial at the Wood Green Crown Court.
He is a former scaffolder and businessman from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.
On November 14, 2017, Collins was found guilty of carrying out an acid attack after a trial at Wood Green Crown Court in North London.
He was convicted of five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, and nine counts of actual bodily harm against 16 people.
Collins threw acid across the packed dance floor at Mangle nightclub in Dalston, East London, during an Easter weekend night out in April 2017.
He had claimed he threw the substance by mistake after hearing a group of men plotting to spike a woman’s drink.
The court heard that he picked up a container that he thought was a date rape drug and threw it away.
But a jury found him guilty of carrying out the acid attack that left clubbers in agony and sparked a panicked evacuation and a massive emergency response.
Collins’ co-defendant, Andre Phoenix, of Tottenham, North London, was acquitted of four counts of grievous bodily harm and two of actual bodily harm.
CCTV footage played in court showed Collins throwing a substance into the face of another man before scattering it over others.
Collins left the club and then went on the run, sparking a nationwide manhunt, before he was tracked down to a house in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire.
He was arrested after jumping from the first-floor window of the house, breaking bones in both his feet.
Collins told the jury he went on the run after the attack as he feared a gang would target pregnant Ferne.
Collins was sentenced to 20 years for the attack on December 19.
Jailing Collins, with an additional five years on licence, Judge Noel Lucas QC said the then-25-year-old was “an accomplished and calculating liar” who had failed to demonstrate “the slightest remorse”.
But in April 2017, Ferne’s life came crashing down when Arthur was arrested for carrying out a traumatising acid attack at Mangle nightclub in Dalston, East London.
He was sentenced to 20 years behind bars after he threw acid at revellers before going on-the-run and leaving 16 people injured.
Just days before the attack, the couple had posed for a glossy magazine cover and said they planned to get married.
Ferne had also found out that she was pregnant with Arthur’s baby, her daughter Sunday, now seven, and ended her relationship with the criminal.
Last year, it was reported that the violent thug, who was previously being held in Category A HMP Woodhill, Milton Keynes, had since been moved to HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire – which prepares prisoners for release by teaching them barista skills.
George Shelley
Prior to getting wrapped up in her nightmare with Arthur, when Ferne took part in I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in 2016, she grew close to her camp mate George Shelley.
The pair flirted during the show and after leaving the jungle, on several occasions, Ferne was spotted looking cosy with the Union J singer, with many reports claiming the pair had shared a kiss.
Not long after, Ferne confirmed to the Loose Women panel that they had a little “Christmas peck”.
After returning home, George confirmed that the couple had seen a lot of each other, as he beamed: “I do fancy Ferne and there is sexual chemistry. We had a few drinks, got a bit drunk and had a cheeky snog.
“There is potential romance but we want to take it slow. It is weird not being with her 24/7. We both have separation anxiety and have been a bit soppy.”
He also told the Daily Star: “We’ve been texting, messaging and FaceTiming each other all the time. I honestly love her to bits, I really do.”
However, despite their flirty banter, Ferne told The Mirror that she wasn’t interested in dating him.
She said: “When we came out, we were inseparable. I had separation anxiety from him. Since coming back, wanting to be with him has passed.”
She added: “When I’m with him I want to cuddle him and be close to him. But when I’m away from him, I can easily switch off from that. We’re lifelong friends.”
Charlie Sims
And one of her most famous public relationships of all was when Ferne first landed on our TV screens.
Whilst starring in TOWIE, she was in a long-term relationship with fellow castmate Charlie Sims.
The pair dated for over five years, with nearly their entire relationship playing out on-screen.
Charlie and Ferne endured their fair share of drama, with many cheating allegations and arguments over the years.
Eventually, they called it quits in 2015 and split for good, after Charlie decided to walk away from the relationship and leave TOWIE at the same time.
He was my everything but now it looks like that isn’t going to happen anymore and I have to re-evaluate my life
Ferne
But things ended somewhat bitterly between the former couple, after Charlie publicly dumped her on X, formerly Twitter.
After almost six years together, the brother of Chloe, Demi and Frankie Sims wrote online: “So sad to not lose one.. But two people you love dearly to a TV show. Everyone can point the finger at me.. But I have morals. And dignity.
“And some sort of self respect. I wish @Chloe_Sims and @fernemccann the best with their lives. But always live knowing you chose the show.”
Ferne was ‘inconsolable’ and ‘heartbroken’ about how he ended things, as she said to Now magazine at the time: “I don’t think he was thinking straight. I think he’ll regret those tweets.”
She continued: “He was my everything but now it looks like that isn’t going to happen anymore and I have to re-evaluate my life. It’s really upsetting.”