EXCLUSIVE: Chantelle Houghton has known fiancé Michael Strutt for 9 years after he lived next door to her mum with his ex-partner and children
Chantelle Houghton met her fiancé Michael Strutt nine years ago when he lived next door to her mother with his long-term partner and two children.
The reality star, 36, became acquainted with Michael when he was her mum Vivien’s neighbour, living in the Essex home where he raised his family with ex Sara Voyce.
Mum-of-one Chantelle announced her engagement to Michael in April after saying they dated romantically for just over three months.
Engaged: Chantelle Houghton met her fiancé Michael Strutt nine years ago when he lived next door to her mum with his long-term partner and two children
A source told MailOnline: ‘Chantelle and Michael have known each other for almost a decade. It hasn’t exactly been a whirlwind romance between them.
‘They’ve been friends for a long time now and Michael knows her mum well from being her neighbour.
‘It’s awkward for Michael’s ex Sara who also lived there and knows Chantelle’s family but they’re trying to keep things amicable for their children.’
In an interview with new! magazine, Michael revealed his engagement to Chantelle has been a ‘sore subject’ with his ex Sara, who’s also the mother of his young son and daughter.
Lookalike: The reality star became acquainted with Michael when he was her mum Vivien’s neighbour, living in the Essex home where he raised his family with his ex (pictured in 2011)
‘Awkward’: Micheal revealed his engagement is a ‘sore subject’ with his ex Sara Voyce (pictured) who lived next door to Chantelle’s mum for years while raising the couple’s children
He said: ‘It was a bit more of a sore subject with my ex.
‘I have two children with her, a son and a daughter, and I think it was hard for her to accept my kids having another woman in their lives.
‘But everything’s OK at the moment. There are no hard feelings. She’s in my life regardless, so we have to make it work.’
Celebrity Big Brother winner Chantelle has previously been married to former co-star and Ordinary Boys singer Samuel Preston, 38, and was in a relationship with Alex Reid, 44, who she shares a seven-year-old daughter with.
Private: Chantelle initially kept Michael’s identity hidden on her Instagram profile, where she disguised his face but still referred to him as the ‘love of her life’
Chantelle kept Michael’s identity hidden from her Instagram profile for some time before the pair went public with their relationship.
But the TV personality couldn’t resist announcing their engagement on social media, even before telling her parents the happy news.
Alongside a picture of an engagement ring, Chantelle said: ‘Ok, I know it’s lockdown and isolation but he just asked me to marry him: I said YES. I will love him forever.’ (sic)
The couple were first pictured together in lockdown while on a bike ride together, where Chantelle can be seen wearing her sparkly engagement ring.