‘I could be living in the Bahamas now!’ Jeremy Edwards admits he regrets turning down £2 million offer for photos with ex Rachel Stevens 20 years ago
Jeremy Edwards regrets turning down a £2 million offer for photos of his relationship with Rachel Stevens.
The former Hollyoaks hunk, 50, was set to marry S Club 7 singer Rachel, 42, after proposing in 2002, but the couple split in 2003.
The actor admitted although the financial package they were offered to photograph the milestones of their future together was ‘ridiculous’, he wishes they’d taken the money because it would have improved his life.
Exes: Jeremy Edwards regrets turning down a £2 million offer for photos of his relationship with Rachel Stevens (pictured in 2003)
Speaking on the Soap From the Box podcast, he said: ‘We were offered stupid amounts of money, £2 million, to sell our wedding photos, honeymoon photos and our first born, and I turned it down. I just thought, “This is ridiculous”.
‘I wish I’d done it. I could’ve made a s***load of money and had a bit more privacy. I’d be living in The Bahamas or something.’
Jeremy proposed to Rachel after just 18 months of dating, popping the question on Valentine’s Day 2002 during dinner at The Dorchester in London.
Despite their split, Jeremy – who is currently expecting his second child with wife Lydia Metz – and Rachel are still friends and he knows her husband, Alex Bourne.
The pair were childhood friends who later reconnected.
They married at Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair in 2009 and share daughters Amelie, 10, and Minnie, seven.
Lovers: The former Hollyoaks hunk, 50, was set to marry S Club 7 singer Rachel, 42, after proposing in 2002, but the couple split in 2003 (pictured in that year)
Reflecting: The actor admitted the financial package they were offered to photograph the milestones of their future together was ‘ridiculous’ (pictured recently)
Jeremy said the ‘attention’ the former couple attracted when they were both at the height of their respective careers contributed to the ‘destruction’ of their relationship.
‘Rachel knows this. The attention was the destruction of our relationship, both Rachel and I have agreed that the pressure was so much when we got engaged.
‘We could not go anywhere. I kid you not, we’d go on a holiday, and there would be helicopter circling with people trying to take photos of us by the pool.
‘When we broke up, we respected and we still loved each other. It just wasn’t going to work. Right. And that’s a nice thing. There was no one else involved. So it was a mature thing to do.
‘I see her around and we’re still friends, it’s nice. I know Alex and she’s met Lydia and all the rest of it. So it’s not a big deal.’
Pre-split: Despite their split, Jeremy – who is currently expecting his second child with wife Lydia Metz – and Rachel (pictured in 2002) are still friends
Under pressure: The former soap star said the ‘attention’ the couple attracted at the height of their careers contributed to the ‘destruction’ of their relationship (pictured in 2003)