Helen Skelton ‘dumbstruck’ after husband Richie Myler starts relationship with younger woman just weeks after split
HELEN Skelton’s husband Richie Myler has already begun a new relationship with a younger woman — just weeks after the marriage ended.
Heartbroken TV presenter Helen, 38, revealed on Monday that Leeds Rhinos rugby ace Richie had left her after nine years together.
Since the breakdown of the marriage — thought to be several weeks ago — the scrum half has started a new romance with a young businesswoman, who The Sun is choosing not to name.
Friends have said that Richie, 31, has seen the woman several times recently as their friendship has grown.
A source said: “Richie appears to have been spending a lot of his free time with this younger, successful businesswoman.
“They are now in the early stages of a relationship.”
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Helen’s announcement that the marriage was over shocked her fans.
The Countryfile and Springtime On The Farm presenter posted a message on her Instagram account which read: “Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple.
“He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co parent our small children.”
She has since been photographed near the family home in Leeds looking downcast. A friend of the couple’s said: “Helen has known something hasn’t been right in the marriage for a while now.
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“She was absolutely dumbstruck when it finally ended. The split has been incredibly tough on Helen.
“She is being supported by her family and friends who are all rallying around her. Everyone is in a state of shock at their break up.”
Helen and Richie married in December 2013.
The pair met through friends and were together from 2011.
In 2015, Helen moved to France with Richie after he started to play for the Catalan Dragons, who are based in Perpignan.
Speaking at the time she admitted to feeling isolated as she did not speak French but stuck at it for the sake of their marriage.
At the time she admitted feeling isolated as she did not speak French but stuck at it for the sake of their marriage. She said: “I used to go into the local tourist office just to talk to someone who could speak English.
“The loneliness was crushing even though the French wives and girlfriends would invite me on their nights out, which was kind.
“Marriages and relationships are not all plain sailing but we approach it like teamwork.”
The couple, who have three children and announced the birth of their baby daughter in a glossy magazine photoshoot in January.
Helen previously described Richie as “the best dad” who was devoted to their children.
After making her split announcement on social media, she shared another post about the stresses of motherhood that showed how emotional she was feeling.
It read: “A mama is always full of emotions, full of love, full of anxiety and worries, full of exhaustion and lack of energy, full of mum guilt and doubt, full of pride in her kids, full of pure joy.
“She feels it all, that’s the beauty of her, she carries it all, too. And yet she gets up every day and does it all over again.”Richie has been seen training with Leeds Rhinos throughout the week.
Meanwhile, former Blue Peter and Olympics presenter Helen, who is on maternity leave, has been keeping a low profile.
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She was however pictured close to the Leeds home making a tense phone call on Wednesday.
Richie, who has taken off his wedding ring, was contacted by The Sun but did not respond.