Heston and lover ‘apart’ months after having baby

CHEF Heston Blumenthal and his French girlfriend Stephanie Gouveia are spending time apart as their relationship is on the rocks only months after the birth of their child, according to reports.

The couple, pictured, are said to be having a ‘rough time’, with Blumenthal, 51, going to a friend’s country retreat after ‘months of turmoil’.

He and Miss Gouveia, an estate agent thought to be 20 years his junior, announced the birth of their child in February. Blumenthal has three other children with his ex-wife Zanna.

‘Heston has been dealing with a lot of problems,’ a source told The Sun. His sister Alexis, 49, was given a suspended jail term in January after she attacked their mother. The Michelinstarred chef has not appeared on TV or at industry events for several months.