Third time lucky in love for flush plumber?
WEDDING bells are ringing for Charlie Mullins, the 69-year- old rooster-haired former boss and founder of Pimlico Plumbers — who has given me the wink that he has proposed marriage to his singer girlfriend of nearly two years, RaRa.
This will be third time lucky for Mullins. RaRa, real name Rachel Leavesley, is 38 years his junior and they met on a beach in Marbella, Spain.
Neither seem in the slightest bit fazed by the age gap, or his marital history, and say that they have never been closer since competing on the BBC1 relationships show unbreakable.
That was filmed when they were a mere eight months into their romance, and their joint bungee jump was the highlight of episode one — although the show has its critics to say the least.
Charlie said: ‘I have a lovely partner and she has made my life better and better. She’s such a natural, beautiful lady. We found out that we have so much in common on the show.
‘Do I think about getting married? Yes of course I do, it is on my mind. What can I tell you? Watch this space — there is a big surprise coming.’
The couple live together in a £ 10 million Thames- side apartment in London. Mullins sold Pimlico Plumbers last year and is now pursuing a career as a media personality, which he greatly enjoys.
He tells me: ‘People do recognise me for the hair these days and call me Rod (after Rod Stewart) which I don’t mind at all.’
The secret of the ‘barnet’ is a simple session with the hairdryer and ‘some gel or whatever you call it’ and then he says: ‘RaRa ruffles my hair.’
Mullins has just filmed a pilot for a show called the Naked Millionaire which starts with him, yes naked, in a flat, although he assures me he wears clothes for the rest of it. The idea is that he has to build a business up from zero. There is also a possible reality TV show with him and RaRa.