Towie star Lucy Mecklenburgh gets cosy with Strictly Come Dancing rugby ace Thom Evans

SHE split with gymnast LOUIS SMITH last year – but it seems reality TV’s LUCY MECKLENBURGH has upgraded to an even hunkier sportsman.

Towie’s Lucy draped her arms around Strictly contestant and former rugby player THOM EVANS’ at an LA nightclub where the pair were partying at a celebrity fashion launch.

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She struggled to hide her enthusiasm for the egg chaser turned-model, who once dated KELLY BROOK.

Her former Towie pal MARK WRIGHT and US reality star KYLIE JENNER were also at the bash for Pretty Little Things’ latest clothing range.

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But an onlooker explained: “From the moment Lucy walked in she was all over Thom. He was interested but also flirting with other girls and Lucy was not impressed, often throwing them looks whenever they chatted to him.

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“She worked the room for a while and briefly talked to Mark, but she wouldn’t leave Thom alone. She flung her arms around him more than once, kept calling him ‘babe’ and got him drinks from the free bar.”

As the event wound down, they shared a taxi to the Mondrian Hotel for a private party which sources say lasted well into the early hours.

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The source added: “Thom didn’t seem that keen at first but they headed off to the same after-party so they obviously hit it off.”

Lucy fell for Louis on BBC1’s gymnastics show Tumble in 2014, but the romance fizzled out 14 months later.

She was believed to still be dating tattooed builder Nathan Sharpe, who did some work on her Essex home last year.

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But last night a spokeswoman for Lucy insisted she is “categorically single”.

If she carries on flirting like this, she won’t be for much longer.