‘I want to find a man who loves my curves’
She’s been single since her ex Ryan Oates walked out on her in November 2017 – just three months after the pair became parents to their son Frankie.
And insiders say Chanelle Hayes – who was recently pictured looking every inch the doting mum as she splashed about with one-year-old Frankie in Spain – has told pals she’s now ready to find love and a partner who can support her.
A source reveals, “Chanelle has always put motherhood first, but she’s been single for a while now and feels ready to start dating again. Being a single mum can be tough and she says she’d love to find someone who could help her out and be a real support to her. She’s even told friends she’d love to go on a show like Celebs Go Dating to find her perfect match. She thinks having the advice of dating experts would be really good for her.”
Chanelle, 31 – who is also mum to son Blakely, eight, with footballer ex Matthew Bates – has endured a very public battle with her weight since finding fame on Big Brother in 2007, and has yo-yoed between a size 8 and an 18.
And the star – who is currently a size 16 – has been open about her health struggles as a result. Opening up to Closer ahead of her second pregnancy, Chanelle insisted doctors had warned her she was on the verge of becoming a type-2 diabetic and had been prescribed pain killers due to her weight putting pressure on her joints.
She slimmed down to a size 12-14 last summer, but slowly saw the weight creep back on after indulging in bowls of pasta and crisp sandwiches.
Now sources say she’d love to lose a bit of weight – but is adamant her new man would have to love her curves.
The pals says, “Chanelle’s main incentive to lose weight is her sons. She wants to be fit and healthy for them, but she thinks getting back to her size 8 body is unrealistic. She’s said if she met anyone, they’d need to love her curves and make her feel confident.”