Roxanne Pallett says she’s ‘never felt happier’ and is planning a baby with new husband Jason Carrion

ROXANNE Pallett says she's "grateful" for Celebrity Big Brother’s infamous punch-gate - as it's been "the making of her".

The ex Emmerdale actress recently got married to American Jason Carrion, and reckons she's never been happier after feeling like she was "the most hated woman in Britain."

Now she says she's ready for a fresh start and the couple want to start a family together.

Roxanne, 37, told : "I’ve met the love of my life and I feel mentally stronger. I truly believe all the negativity I went through pushed me to this point.

"In a way, I’m grateful for all that went wrong, even though it was brutal. It was worth all the heartache because now I’m living my best life.”

She continued: "When I met Jason, I knew instantly he would be the father to my kids.

We laugh, because on one of his first calls as a firefighter, he had to deliver a baby in a NYC subway, so when we do have kids, I know he’ll be prepared.

“We both want it to happen, but we’re leaving it to fate."

Roxanne faced a huge public backlash in 2018 when she accused Corrie star Ryan Thomas of maliciously punching her during a play fight on the show. She later admitted she had “got it wrong”.

Husband Jason – who Roxanne by chance when she needed directions in New York – knows all about her past. She says the firefighter isn’t bothered.

She said: “There’s no stone unturned – I wanted to be completely honest as I’ve had years of pretending and it was draining.

"I’ve told him my regrets, my truths, and the weight of being in the public eye for the last 15 years. He wasn’t fazed at all.”

Roxanne is now happy to step away from the limelight.

She said: "I didn’t like who I was when I was in showbiz. For ten years I was on a treadmill of validation and vanity. I had a lot of disposable friendships. After CBB, I was ghosted and blocked by people who I’d had dinner with two weeks earlier.

"When you’re winning at life, you’re surrounded by everyone, but when you’re not, they disappear. The friends I’ve made in America don’t care about my past or the headlines, they like me for who I am today."

Closer magazine goes on sale March 3rd.