After \u201csix years of celibacy\u201d, Jon Lee didn\u2019t just dip his toe into the world of dating again \u2013 he jumped in headfirst by joining Channel 4\u2019s Celebs Go Dating<\/i>. And to his surprise, the leap of faith paid off. Four months after filming, Jon exclusively reveals that he is head over heels with new boyfriend Jordan Fairhurst after hitting it off on the show. After suffering his fair share of heartache in life, it\u2019s little wonder he can\u2019t keep the huge grin off his face…<\/p>\n
\u201cI went on the show for a laugh, to be honest!\u201d says Jon, 43, who is clearly smitten with his new beau as they join us for their first couple\u2019s photoshoot. \u201cI thought, \u2018It will be nice to get out there and get on a few dates, but I had no real intention of meeting somebody. So, meeting Jordan was… a lovely surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jon, who rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of pop group S Club 7, is known for hits such as Don\u2019t <\/i>Stop Movin\u2019<\/i> and Stand By You<\/i>, but over two decades later, the singer says the show was a chance for fans to see \u201cthe real Jon\u201d, with the added bonus of finding love.<\/p>\n The couple have been making big plans for their future -Credit:Reach PLC \/ Matt Monfredi<\/p>\n And from the very start there was a spark with Jordan, says Jon. \u201cWe spoke about previous relationships and realised we\u2019d had very similar experiences \u2013 unfortunately, bad experiences in the past \u2013 so we bonded over that. We both knew exactly what we wanted from a relationship,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n While fans watched the romance play out on screen, hairdresser Jordan, 40, says the couple had their own moments which weren\u2019t always captured on camera.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring filming, we\u2019d go on a date for the show, but then I\u2019d stay with Jon that night and we\u2019d have our own date the day after, without the cameras,\u201d he reveals.<\/p>\n \u201cIt looks like it\u2019s just the two of us on these romantic Celebs Go Dating <\/i>dates but really, there are about 15 crew members listening to every word you say, so you\u2019re trying to be natural, but you can\u2019t help but be aware that you\u2019re not alone!\u201d<\/p>\n This is the new couple’s first official photoshoot together -Credit:Reach PLC \/ Matt Monfredi<\/p>\n Viewers witnessed plenty of moments where Jon and Jordan locked lips \u2013 something that\u2019s left Jordan slightly red-faced, after watching the footage back.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I wished the producers had changed was the kissing stuff \u2013 they made it look like we were snogging for hours, when it was literally seconds,\u201d he laughs. \u201cEvery episode it\u2019s just us necking!\u201d<\/p>\n One person who was over the moon to see Jon meet his perfect match was his mum.<\/p>\n \u201cMum\u2019s very happy, yes,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019d always say to her, \u2018I\u2019m never gonna meet someone,\u2019 but she always told me not to shut the door and keep an open mind. She always wanted to see me settle down with somebody, so when I came home and said I had actually met someone, she was shocked!\u201d<\/p>\n And they couldn’t look more smitten -Credit:Reach PLC \/ Matt Monfredi<\/p>\n At times, however, the show wasn\u2019t easy for Jon\u2019s mum, as it saw him delve into some deeply emotional chapters of his past with dating experts Paul C Brunson, Anna Williamson and Dr Tara.<\/p>\n In one particularly raw moment, he opened up about the heartbreaking death of his father, Terry, who passed away from motor neurone disease in 2019, and the dark hole Jon fell into in the years that followed.<\/p>\n \u201cI went completely off the rails. I went out, I was taking loads of drugs. It got to the point where I had to make a decision \u2013 sort myself out, or it wasn\u2019t going to end well.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very emotional for my mum to watch me talk about that,\u201d Jon says softly. \u201cBut I talk about what\u2019s happened in the past a lot with her and it always ends with her saying she is very proud of the man I am today.<\/p>\n “I went through something that was very, very difficult and, unfortunately, not a lot of people make it back if they go down the wrong path. I\u2019ve not only come back, but come back confident and better than ever. She\u2019s just happy to have her boy back.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a little bit emotional to watch myself talking about all of that, but it was important for me to share. If you\u2019re going to do something, then you need to do it properly \u2013 that\u2019s part of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n Jordan says he wasn’t used to seeing his romantic life played out on screen -Credit:Reach PLC \/ Matt Monfredi<\/p>\n Jon has been introducing Jordan to all of his nearest and dearest but admits his three \u2018babies\u2019 were the hardest to please. A proud dog dad to Indian rescue dogs Colin, Lolly and Bruno, Jon had his worries that the trio would be tricky to win over, but admits that his new man passed the test with flying colours.<\/p>\n \u201cBruno is the hardest to please,\u201d he says. \u201cIt took two visits for them to get to know him, but now Jordan is Bruno\u2019s favourite person! \u201cHe doesn\u2019t like it if Jordan puts his arm around me, though \u2013 he gets jealous!\u201d<\/p>\n While Jon says the couple don\u2019t plan on introducing any more pups to the fold (\u201cBruno wouldn\u2019t have it!\u201d), Jordan is keen to expand the menagerie one day.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d love to get a horse! Jon rides as well, so we would really like that, but it would need to wait until we live together one day,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Jon opened up about his darker times during Celebs Go Dating filming -Credit:Reach PLC \/ Matt Monfredi<\/p>\n The couple live at opposite ends of the country, a five hour drive from each other but, despite this, Jordan says moving in together is still a long way off. \u201cIt\u2019s still early days. There\u2019s a lot of stuff we need to learn about one another,\u201d he explains, adding that they\u2019re still getting plenty of quality time in.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are spending around four or five days each week with each other, going on our own little adventures, so it\u2019s been really nice. Jon likes his alone time and I like my downtime, so we make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n So what\u2019s next? Well, the couple are looking forward to spending their first festive season together, says Jon.<\/p>\n The couple plan to have a ‘proper family Christmas’ together -Credit:Reach PLC \/ Matt Monfredi<\/p>\n \u201cJordan\u2019s coming to mine in Cornwall, and it\u2019s going to be a proper family Christmas<\/a>. It\u2019ll be the first time I\u2019ve had a boyfriend at home for Christmas, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe too,\u201d Jordan beams. \u201cI\u2019ve never had that chance to spend Christmas with my partner so this is shaping up to be the best Christmas ever!\u201d<\/p>\n When it comes to this year\u2019s present list, Jon might have to autograph some of his old S Club CDs, though. \u201cMy nephew is obsessed with S Club since meeting Jon,\u201d laughs Jordan. \u201cMy best mate\u2019s little girl loves them as well. Apparently they\u2019re always playing Reach <\/i>in school, so he\u2019s got some very young fans out there!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
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