MAFS UK star Laura Vaughan reveals she has been suffering from crippling eating disorder as she says she began ‘shrinking physically and mentally’

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MAFS UK star Laura Vaughan has revealed she has been suffering from a crippling eating disorder.

The 35-year-old reality star, who became well-known after marrying tennis coach Arthur Poremba on a 2023 TV show, recently discussed her struggles with an eating disorder in a new interview.

My friend warned me that I was changing – not just becoming physically smaller, but also losing my mental sharpness, she explained.

Laura shared with The Sun that 2025 ended with a difficult period, including the loss of her stepdad to cancer. This loss was particularly painful as she had previously lost her father to the same disease. Adding to this, she and her boyfriend, Hayden Cote, broke up in November.

Laura explained that her grief caused her to lose her appetite, and she started losing weight without meaning to.

You know, I’ve worked with so many people who’ve shared similar experiences. Laura told me that once she understood what was going on with her eating, she almost tried to keep restricting her food. It was a strange thing, but it gave her a sense of control – it was one area of her life where she felt she could dictate what happened. It’s a really common pattern, actually – when life feels chaotic, people sometimes turn to controlling their food intake as a way to feel grounded.

She confessed it was a bit embarrassing, but she realized she was trying to see how long she could keep doing something, simply because she felt a need to be in control.

It’s risky, and things likely got more chaotic than I’m comfortable acknowledging, but we shouldn’t avoid discussing it. Eating disorders can manifest in many different ways.

Laura had a very difficult time, which caused her anxiety to worsen and led to panic attacks and a loss of appetite.

Laura, who struggled with an eating disorder when she was younger, lost enough weight to go from a size ten to a size six in under a year. This rapid weight loss caused health issues, including problems with her kidneys.

She explained that while she did need assistance, she would have preferred a more compassionate approach – a private conversation – instead of being questioned publicly online, which she felt was hostile.

Thankfully, her friends and family have been helping her recover, and one friend especially took the first step by talking to her about it.

Laura shared that she started dating Hayden last year and is very happy, calling him the best thing that’s happened to her. This comes after she found it difficult to date following her time on the Channel 4 reality show.

However it was reported in November that the pair had split after nine months of dating. 

According to a source, Laura and Hayden have split up and decided it was the best course of action for both of them.

They attempted to reconcile several times and stayed in touch intermittently, but have ultimately decided it’s best to go their separate ways.

They cared for each other deeply, but realized the relationship wasn’t sustainable and decided to end it before things became more complicated.

In an interview with the Daily Mail in March 2025, Laura revealed she’s been in a relationship for a while, but wanted to keep it private at first. She explained that sharing her relationship on Married at First Sight felt overwhelming, so she’s been trying to keep this one more low-profile.

I didn’t think I’d find someone so quickly after being on Married at First Sight. Dating was tough after the show aired, but I met my current partner through work in a very natural way. I honestly wouldn’t have met him if it hadn’t been for MAFS, so I’m grateful for the experience!

‘Things were never destined to work between Arthur and I , this relationship is much more suited.’

She continued, saying that they’re becoming more open about their relationship. He’s even meeting some of her friends from Love Island at a birthday party next week, and they’re starting to integrate into each other’s lives just like any other couple.

We were thrilled to go to a Sutton FC game together – it’s Paul Brunson’s favorite team, and Paul has already had the chance to meet the player we saw.

I really value Paul’s advice – he’s been a supportive guide in my relationships ever since I finished being on the show.

If this article has brought up any difficult feelings, please reach out for support by calling Beat Eating Disorders at 0808 801 0677.

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2026-02-27 13:20