Faye: “Gareth and I don’t talk about Jordan”
Faye Brookes opens up about her boyfriend Gareth Gates, his famous ex, and why Corrie co-stars Brooke Vincent and Helen Flanagan are like family
After being in a relationship with Gareth Gates for five years, there’s very little Faye Brookes and her boyfriend haven’t discussed, but she tells Closer there’s one topic that’s still off limits – and that’s the singer’s famous ex, Jordan.
In 2009, Jordan – real name Katie Price – dropped the bombshell that she had a three-month fling with the then-17-year-old Gareth in 2002 while she was pregnant with her son Harvey. Gareth, who found fame on ITV’S Pop Idol, initially denied the affair but, in 2014, he admitted: “I didn’t want my family to find out,” adding that losing his virginity to Jordan made him quit fame.
Faye, 29, says: “Gareth and I don’t talk about Jordan. We’ve all got a past. Gareth would hate it if any of my previous relationships were dragged up. Everybody needs to move on. We don’t let things like that come between us – there’s no need. I wasn’t around then. He was young. That’s all I know.”
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The actress met Gareth, 32, in 2012 when they starred together in Legally Blonde: The Musical – the same year he split from wifeof-three-years Suzanne Mole, with whom he has daughter Missy, seven.
Last year, Faye joined Coronation Street and, in January, she won Best Newcomer at the National TV Awards. She admits that having a boyfriend in the public eye prepared her for the spotlight.
She says: “Gareth knows how stressful fame can be. He’s so supportive when we’re on the red carpet, which is why he’s the guy that’s on my arm. I wouldn’t want to push my family into that situation because it’s overwhelming at times. Gareth loves it when I get recognised. He knows how long I’ve worked for this; to not just be ‘Gareth Gates’ girlfriend,’ but an actress in my own right.”
But while Faye, who plays Kate Connor in Corrie, loves that her boyfriend is also in the limelight, she isn’t keen for him to follow her onto the cobbles.
She reveals: “No, no, no way. Corrie is my territory. I’ve worked with him before and I would love to work with him again, but on something different. I’ve found my feet on Corrie and it’s going so well. If he came in, it would be difficult for me to be part of a couple when I’ve always been on my own. The dynamic would be different. We’ll definitely stick to doing our own thing for now.”
GOOD FRIENDS
Meanwhile, Faye has formed strong friendships with her co-stars Brooke Vincent and Helen Flanagan (who play Sophie and Rosie). She adds: “Brooke is lovely; I adore working with her. And Helen is hilarious.
“It’s great to watch them do scenes together again because it’s like watching Coronation Street when I was a kid. Everyone on Corrie is like a massive family who look out for me.” l Faye supports Macmillan’s Make Money One Less Worry campaign. Visit: Macmillan.org.uk/moneyworries