Truth about the romance rumours swirling around Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones: Insiders tell KATIE HIND how their friendship has evolved – and why it could be great news for the BBC

As I embarked on my quest to unearth the perfect duo for the BBC’s Morning Live program, I had one dynamic duo in mind – the legendary Richard and Judy. My goal was to discover the fresh faces who could captivate audiences just as they did, keeping the spirit of engaging conversation alive during morning television.

BBC executives sought a well-known, chatty married couple similar to Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan – the pioneers of ITV’s This Morning that shaped morning television for many years – as they aimed to outperform their long-standing competitors in the ratings battle.

The only problem was that there weren’t many options.

In January last year, instead of playing it safe for Morning Live’s relaunch, they took a chance with me – Helen Skelton, a beloved host from Countryfile – and Gethin Jones, who’s been a reliable presence since the show debuted in 2020. I can hardly contain my excitement to be part of this incredible team!

The managers concurred that they shared sufficient similarities to ensure its prosperity: they had both hosted Blue Peter and participated in the BBC’s prime-time Saturday program, Strictly Come Dancing, which means they are recognized by a significant portion of their primary viewership already.

They were also, as it happened, both single.

However, just over a year and a half later, managers at the company start pondering if they might have stumbled upon the perfect pair after all.

It’s being speculated that Helen, who is 41, and Gethin, who is 47, have moved beyond their on-screen relationship to something more substantial today.

Although neither has publicly acknowledged rumors of a romantic relationship, people close to them confirm to The Mail on Sunday that they are deeply content in their partnership.

Initially, it was unforeseen; they stumbled upon each other at work, almost as if they had been hidden from view. It’s delightful that they have discovered joy in one another, but what makes this even sweeter is the boost it provides to the BBC and their ratings. Now, viewers are drawn in by the intrigue following the slow reveal of their secret relationship.

It’s quite amusing that it turns out the BBC could be unintentionally searching for ‘Richard and Judy’, and yet, they might have stumbled upon them without any effort at all.

‘They could have achieved such an impressive feat, and what makes it even more charming is that it occurred naturally – their bond of friendship has blossomed into romance.’

For some time now, there’s been plenty of chatter because they’ve been spotted being quite intimate on numerous instances outside of their usual TV workspace.

On Monday, it was noticed that Helen and Gethin exited a spa near Gethin’s residence in Cheshire, which is approximately 110 miles from Helen’s home in Cumbria. Witnesses claimed they appeared very affectionate together. Moreover, Helen was later observed departing the location with a luggage piece.

About three weeks back, following the wrap-up of their work on Morning Live at the BBC’s headquarters in Salford, they were spotted exiting together on a motorcycle, bound for a breakfast spot in the heart of Manchester city.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it this way: At both the Baftas and a charity event organized by the sisters of the late England rugby league star Rob Burrow, photos emerged showing a noticeable closeness between me and my partner, Gethin. Attendees at the charity ball shared that our connection was undeniably romantic during the event.

The captivating aspect of their tale lies in the fact that they’ve each experienced heartbreak in the past.

Recently, the heartbreak hit Helen, a native of Cumbria, particularly hard. In April 2022, her husband of eight years, rugby player Richie Myler, unexpectedly left her. This happened just four months after they welcomed their third child, Elsie, into the world.

After parting ways with his previous residence, Richie promptly advanced in his relationship with Stephanie Thirkill, who is the daughter of Leeds Rhinos president Andrew Thirkill, a club Richie played for from 2017 to 2023. Previously of Radio 5, Helen made an Instagram post revealing that Richie had departed from the family household.

For a while after their 2011 separation, Gethin, originally from Cardiff, found it challenging to move past the breakup with Welsh opera sensation Katherine Jenkins.

Or,

For several years following their 2011 split, Gethin, hailing from Cardiff, had difficulty coping with the aftermath of his separation from opera star Katherine Jenkins, who is also Welsh.

A decade ago, I witnessed his heartbreak personally when I accompanied him during the day he hosted a spin-off show for Dancing with the Stars, the American version of Strictly Come Dancing. Gethin and Katherine started dating in 2007 and became engaged by February 2011. However, their relationship didn’t last long as they parted ways only ten months later.

Initially, it was believed that Katherine was the one who broke up the relationship. However, more recently, she claims it was actually Gethin who terminated it.

Despite that, during my interview with him at the West Hollywood studios back in the spring of 2015, it was evident that the break-up was still a raw and painful memory for him.

As a lifestyle advisor, allow me to share a narrative I recently encountered: At the age of 37, Gethin recounted his day filled with tales of his quest to find a companion, following the departure of Katherine. He had embarked on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean, seeking fresh beginnings and a chance to leave behind the pain that lingered from their parting.

Meanwhile, Katherine had already progressed and tied the knot with American producer Andrew Levitas, a union that took place only nine months prior to my encounter with Gethin.

I playfully teased him, saying he might be one of the most sought-after singles in Hollywood, but his reaction seemed disheartened, as if he had resigned himself to it.

His mental health was significantly affected when he acknowledged that the separation from last year had become clearer to him.

He mentioned: ‘I was involved in a relationship that ended. That whole phase was simply terrible. I recall appearing on BBC Radio 5 Live at 5:30 am, telling myself, “Alright, focus for the next three hours, then you can return to feeling down.” During that period, I experienced a severe bout of depression.’

One buddy remarked: ‘Gethin is a tender, emotional man who yearns for stability. He experienced great turmoil with Katherine, it shattered his spirit, but now it appears that Helen has brought him joy.’

‘Indeed, when Richie parted ways with Helen, she endured one of life’s most difficult trials. At that point, she didn’t believe she could find joy again, but now their shared experiences bring them immense happiness.’

In the upcoming days, TV insiders are eagerly anticipating when Helen and Gethin will make their relationship official, and share this news with their audience.

Once they team up, it’s rumored that Helen and Gethin could be as popular a duo on TV as Richard and Judy have been in the past.

According to my source, ‘From then on, they are likely to become the focus of interest for many broadcasting networks.’ Essentially, every channel would be eager to have them, and this could potentially lead to a financially rewarding association.

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2025-06-15 03:23