Reality TV star Chloe Lewis has paid tribute to her “first love” and “childhood sweetheart” Jake Hall following his sudden death aged 35.
The pair dated in their teenage years and both went on to star in The Only Way Is Essex (Towie) where they were known for their tumultuous on-off relationship which finally ended in 2016 after almost a decade together.
Lewis, 35, has remembered her ex-boyfriend as “such a massive and special part of my life”, and said that loving him “taught me so much about life and myself”.
The star shared the lengthy tribute to Instagram on Friday, which featured a video compilation of throwback snaps and videos of the pair through the years set to Ordinary People by John Legend.
She wrote: “My first love, my childhood sweetheart. A love that taught me so much about life and myself, and even more so now your presence is no longer here.
“A complete pain in the arse most of the time, but always with the purest heart and the greatest soul. You touched so many lives and meant well in everything you did.”
Lewis also reflected on how being a father to his eight-year-old daughter River was “the most important thing” to Hall and praised him for making parenthood “look so easy and effortless”.
She recounted how they were “inseparable” after meeting at a bar aged 16 and said he made her “feel like I was the most wonderful person you had ever met”.
Lewis told of the difficulties navigating their youth and their relationship while on hit ITV reality series Towie, saying: “Being in the public eye wasn’t really what we wanted, but it all just happened so quickly and it took over our relationship.
“It was a huge struggle for me and mentally hurt us both.”
The star explained how the track by pop star Legend, which accompanied the video, is “our song” and recounted how Hall once sang it to her “with your cheeky smile and love in your eyes”.
She also reflected on how the weeks since his death have “felt very surreal” as she does not know how to process the loss, writing: “You were such a massive and special part of my life, and I truly hoped that we would grow old, that I’d see you one day, happy and at peace with life.
“We’d smile at each other and be grateful that life had been good to us. But now I know that God had better plans for you.”
She said that “heartache echoes through the world” for Hall and that she has “never seen so many people pour their love out for one person”, before concluding the post by writing he will be in her thoughts forever.
Lewis added: “I’m sorry I couldn’t have saved you.”
The comments were flooded with fans and stars alike offering their well-wishes, including former co-stars Georgia Kousoulou and Jessica Wright, singer Mimi Webb and TV personality Vicky Pattison.
Hall was best known for his almost decade-long stint on Towie, having joined in 2015 and quit in 2024, and also ran a menswear brand called By Jake Hall.
He was found dead earlier this month at a holiday villa in Majorca and tributes have since continued to pour in with the mother of his child, Misse Beqiri, saying that her and her daughter’s hearts have been “shattered” by the loss.
Reality star James “Arg” Argent shared a post remembering his “dear mate” who he “loves and misses” while soap star Ryan Thomas recalled the last message he received from Hall.
Other celebrities to pay tribute included Hall’s friend and former co-star Vas J Morgan, who wrote that his death was a “deeply difficult loss” and that he wished they had more time together.
Former Made In Chelsea star Akin Solanke also shared a post and praised Hall as an inspiration while celebrity DJ Fat Tony called his death an “awful loss to the world”.
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