Una’s rugby player ex weds after whirlwind romance
THE ex-husband of Irish star Una Healy, rugby player Ben Foden, has married again — deciding to tie the knot after two weeks of dating.
Foden (34) broke the news on social media yesterday and told fans he had received the blessing of his former wife, who rose to fame as a member of chart-topping girl band The Saturdays.
He and the former singer were married for six years and have two children together, but parted company a year ago.
In an interview with The Guardian earlier this year, Foden admitted he had committed adultery during his marriage to Una.
But he added there were many reasons for their divorce.
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Foden said he expected people to say he and his new girlfriend Jackie were “mad or crazy or even fools” for deciding to marry after two weeks. However, he asked his 100,000 followers: “Why wait?” Foden also shared a picture from Nantucket in Massachusetts of new bride Jackie Belanoff Smith kissing him.
He described the last year as “by far my toughest and most turbulent” and said he expected many people to think he was a “bad person”. However, he added: “But I met a girl who seriously swept me off my feet and in a time of hardship showed me love, a deep devoted love. People will say we are mad or crazy or even fools... But when someone like her comes into your life, why would I wait?”
He continued: “The people who needed to know, such as close family and friends, were told before anyone else and they are happy for me including my beautiful X wife @unahealy who I love even more for her blessing.
“Life is short and you only get one and it’s worth living. Jackie is the greatest human being I’ve ever come across — she’s beautiful inside and out, intelligent, charming, funny, generous, kind, gentle, energetic, the list goes on.”
He continued by saying that Jackie would be “a great stepmum to Aoife and Tadhg”, adding that his new wife’s sister had been the witness at their wedding ceremony.
Healy and Foden married in Ireland in 2012 after four years of dating. They welcomed daughter Aoife shortly before they got married, and son Tadhg in 2015.
Last December the Irish star announced on social media she was in a new relationship with David Breen, a physiotherapist for rugby union team Wasps and former captain of the Limerick senior hurling team.