Lucy Mecklenburgh determined to keep her relationship with Ryan Thomas under wraps after being ‘burned’ before as she returns from romantic holiday with former Coronation Street star
The former Towie star and health guru admits 'life is good' and responds to those put-downs from exes Mario Falcone and Louis Smith
LUCY Mecklenburgh arrives at our shoot wearing a pair of oversized Ray-Bans, plus a glow and a grin that speak volumes.
Little wonder, given she’s fresh from a sunshine holiday with Ryan Thomas, the handsome former Corrie star and Lucy’s not-so-secret latest boyfriend.
The showbiz world’s newest celebrity couple spent ten days on the Greek island of Santorini, and both of them guarded their unconfirmed relationship by only posting solo photos to social media. But it didn’t take long for eagle-eyed Instagrammers to spot that Lucy and Ryan were using the same hotel swimming pool, and the game was quickly up.
They were later pictured arriving together for their flight home and again at London’s City Airport, smooching at the baggage claim.
When we meet today at a skate park in Essex, it’s Lucy’s first opportunity to confirm the romance, but as she relaxes into a beach chair it’s clear she’s cautious about saying too much. She pauses and takes a steadying breath.
“It’s no secret that we’ve been on holiday together and I’ve had a really lovely time. Life’s good,” she says.
Hold on. So are she and dad-of-one Ryan, 33, officially an item?
“It’s really early days. If it’s OK with you, I’d like to leave it at that,” says Lucy, explaining why these days she’s more protective of her private life.
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“I was put on national television two weeks into being 19 years old. When I was hurt, it all played out on camera and it was really tough. I grew up and learned those horrible lessons that all girls and guys do – but on TV with millions of people judging. Now I want to keep more close to me. That’s how I want to do it.”
You have to respect her decision. Just like any girl in the public eye, Lucy, 25, has had her fair share of high-profile relationships.
On Towie she began as Mark Wright’s love interest before having an on/off romance with Mario Falcone, which ended messily in a broken engagement played out for viewers’ entertainment.
Mario, 29, recently got engaged to girlfriend Becky Miesner after a year of dating, and took a swipe at Lucy by declaring: “This engagement is real – the other one wasn’t real.” Ouch.
“I kind of understand what he means,” Lucy says when asked if she took offence.
“We were really young, we were on a TV show and in love, and it may have felt like the right thing to do then within that bubble.
“I think Mario and Becky really suit. He’s made it quite public that he wants a family, and I’m really happy for him.”
I grew up and learned those horrible lessons that all girls and guys do – but on TV with millions of people judging. Now I want to keep more close to me.
Lucy Mecklenburgh
Post-Mario, Lucy began a relationship with Olympic gymnast Louis Smith, 28, whom she met on the set of BBC1’s Tumble gymnastics show when he was a judge and she was a contestant. But just before Valentine’s Day last year, after 14 months together, Louis abruptly called off the love affair to – in his words – prevent Lucy becoming too “attached”.
Recently, he too appeared to throw some shade by insisting that his new girlfriend, 25-year-old Strictly Come Dancing tour dancer Florence Edge, “isn’t bothered by fame and flashing lights” – unlike his exes. Double ouch.
“Louis rang me that night and apologised and said he didn’t mean it like that. It was completely taken out of context,” says Lucy, graciously playing down the dig.
“He said he knows how hard I work, and that’s not me. He apologised, which was a really nice thing to do, and do you know what? We’re actually absolutely fine, which I’m happy about.
“We message randomly, probably every two months, and I still speak to his mum regularly. She’s so lovely. We’re on really good terms now.”
Three years ago Lucy described herself as too needy to be alone, which could explain her short periods of singledom and why she’s always pole-vaulted from one boyfriend to the next.
In April, Lucy met Ryan while filming the new series of Channel 4’s Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls in South America, which airs this autumn.
She’d only just split from her tiler boyfriend of eight months, Nathan Sharp, who she fell for after he worked on the bathroom at her Essex home. Does she still feel needy?
“I wouldn’t say that at all. Everyone loves to be loved – that would be silly not to say. But I’m so independent compared to what I used to be. I’ve built my own house, I’ve lived on my own for four years and I absolutely love it,” she says.
“I can’t actually imagine living with someone now. I think every young girl needs those years to learn from her mistakes and grow.”
Everyone loves to be loved – that would be silly not to say. But I’m so independent compared to what I used to be.
Lucy Mecklenburgh
Lucy has effectively already tested the co-habiting water with Ryan. They lived in each other’s pockets for a number of weeks, battling extreme hunger and dehydration on a remote island near Panama.
When recording finished, rumours about their relationship began after Lucy posted a nude bathroom selfie from Ryan’s hotel room.
Given her new appreciation for privacy, it seems strange to take a risk by putting such personal pictures into the public domain.
“I like social media. You’re giving a bit of your life away, but not too much,” Lucy defends herself, possibly missing the point.
On the flip side, she uses social media as a tool to engage with fans who turn to her for guidance about body image and health. She considers herself a role model, which is why she would never Photoshop her body to make it look smaller.
“I get accused of it all the time. I had a rant the other day, saying: ‘Thank you for thinking that, but I can barely use a filter.’ I can see the temptation, but you’re going to be papped the next day, so you just need to embrace it. I find it completely irresponsible.”
Proof of Lucy’s positive relationship with her body is plastered all over her Instagram. The plethora of bikini selfies are Victoria’s-Secret-worthy, and reveal as much about her talent for creating the perfect pic (“sunset lighting is always the best”) as her healthy quota of self-confidence.
“I’d say I’m content because as a woman I don’t think you’re ever completely confident,” says Lucy, whose size-8 physique has secured her countless endorsement campaigns – she’s the face of Boux Avenue, Ellesse and also has a swimwear collection with Very.co.uk.
According to Lucy, four hours of exercise a week is ideal, and her schedule incorporates her self-designed HIIT workouts, Pilates and barre – a mixture of yoga, Pilates and ballet.
Advocating a “balanced and realistic” approach to health, Lucy has come full circle. Once a girl who would skip breakfast and faint on the morning commute, she now swears by a daily breakfast of eggs “in any shape or form” for energy to work out four or five times a week.
Crucially, Lucy continues to enjoy a little of what she loves, too, namely pasta and red wine at the weekend.
“I’ll never be full of muscle because I like having a life. I could never be one of those people who weighs everything they eat and sacrifices nights out with my friends. That’s just not me. I’ll never be perfect, my legs are never going to be as long as Abbey Clancy’s, but I don’t give a s**t. This is the way I am.”
Lucy isn’t afraid to be herself, but admits that at the end of her Towie journey in December 2013, when she was in the middle of her turbulent break-up with philandering Mario, she lost sight of that and shrunk to a size 6 because of stress and over-exercising.
“I dropped 2st,” she says.
I’ll never be perfect, my legs are never going to be as long as Abbey Clancy’s, but I don’t give a s**t. This is the way I am.
Lucy Mecklenburgh
“It was a combination of falling in love with exercise and feeling very down. Sometimes nerves, adrenalin and stress make you drop weight. You can’t control it. And exercise was like my therapy – it became an addiction to me.”
Nowadays, there’s less angst and more maturity and confidence, which she believes is a by-product of age. She’s 25 going on 45 – a sentiment she hears often – and it’s easy to see why.
After leaving TOWIE, Select Models signed her up, then she launched her Results With Lucy fitness and nutrition website. Now a successful business, it employs 16 members of staff and helps over half a million subscribers by providing exercise videos, eating plans, nutritional advice and boot camps. The next project is a “mindset and motivation” plan to help girls who are struggling with confidence.
She might be one tough cookie, but Lucy admits that she often finds it hard to let people in.
“It takes a lot to crack me in the beginning. I can be quite stand-offish, quite reserved. I don’t know if the industry has made me like this or if it’s because of my family, because we are just not the touchy-feely, tactile type,” she says, alluding to her father Paul, who she lived with after her parents split when she was a teenager.
Lucy credits him with for advising her to invest money into property and describes him as “practical” – the opposite of how she likes a love interest to behave.
“I’d want more from a boyfriend. [For them to be] more cuddly and kissy than practical and sensible,” she says.
So what does pierce Lucy’s defensive shield?
“Pornstar Martinis!” she laughs, before offering a serious answer.
“Trust is important. When I trust someone and love them, I love them 100%.”
Can Lucy imagine making a Towie comeback?
“I never say never because it’s been such a massive part of my life,” she says.
Trust is important. When I trust someone and love them, I love them 100%.
Lucy Mecklenburgh
“I owe it so much, but I can’t see it right now.
“And now Lydia [Bright, Lucy’s BFF] has gone, I don’t know that there’s a place for me,” she adds.
“Perhaps if they got all the old cast back and did one big blow-out episode or movie, that could be cool.”
She is, however, crystal-clear about her hopes for love.
“I’m older, wiser and now I just want to be relaxed and happy,” she says with a look in her eye that suggests she’s already halfway there.
Lucy is a British Lion Eggs ambassador. For Lucy’s favourite recipe ideas, visit .