Just days after they shared their love during an appearance on Loose Women, Mark Labbett called time on his relationship with Hayley Palmer, leaving the TV reporter heartbroken.
It seemed things were on the up for Hayley Palmer and The Chase star Mark Labbett, as they celebrated their first anniversary with public declarations of affection on daytime TV. However, by the end of May all was not well - Hayley, 42, disclosed that their relationship had come to a sudden end after a phone call from Mark, also known as The Beast.
Mark attributed their split to their 16-year age difference and the dilemma of his Rotherham base versus her London location, especially given their display of affection just days prior. "We went on Loose Women the week before we split up to talk about how happy we were," Hayley reveals.
"We had our one-year anniversary we were celebrating. We were booking theatre tickets with my mum and dad, we were organising quiz nights together. We were in a really good place as far as I was aware."
The abrupt ending hit her hard: "So when the phone call came completely out of the blue, the shock hit me so bad to my nervous system that, on reflection, I think I had a panic attack on the spot and lost all control of my body."
Hayley took to Instagram Stories to announce their separation, stating that she and Mark had parted ways but reflecting on them having had the "best year together". Yet, following the sudden split, she candidly admits her mental health suffered during the subsequent weeks, reports OK!.
"My friend asked, 'Can you just get on the Tube and come to me? ' And I literally couldn't," she recalls. "I couldn't physically get on the Tube. I was walking around for three hours not knowing where I was going. It's a really scary place to be. The first week I was in absolute shock, then I just felt really low. The biggest thing was that my self-worth and my self-confidence had just gone to the absolute floor."
Despite being known for her smiley, upbeat personality on camera, Hayley was facing a much darker reality off-screen as she tried to rebuild her life.
"The thing with me is I'm such a bubbly person and I'm very, very positive," she explains. "I always get up, put my make-up on and get out there, but I found I really struggled. There's no easy way to say that. I was just, looking back, very unstable. I was making it through the day, putting on a good show, but underneath just totally crumbling. It really hit me hard. I never thought I'd be in that place I never thought I wouldn't want to get out of bed."
"I think I was in shock to begin with and then I thought I'd be OK, but I was bursting into tears in the middle of Tesco initially."
Hayley Palmer and Mark Labbett split shortly after their first-year anniversary
Mark Labbett and Hayley Palmer arrive at the National Television Awards 2023
Following the breakup, Hayley revealed she suffered a range of physical symptoms. "I have to say it's a lot better now, but I was having severe flashbacks the whole time because your mind goes through the whole relationship and I was having nightmares. I'm a really good sleeper, but I was waking up in sweats and with severe anxiety. I wasn't in a good place at all."
It was only after sharing her story online that Hayley discovered the term 'betrayal trauma', which is experienced when a person's trust is violated. This led her to seek counselling something she credits as aiding her recovery.
"A counsellor got in touch with me and she said, 'Would you like to talk? I've read your story. I'm concerned about you. Would you just like to have a chat on the phone? ' I thought, 'Why not? ' When I spoke to her, it just made complete sense."
"She said that what I had was betrayal trauma, which is like PTSD. So when she was saying, 'Have you got the anxiety? Have you got the sweats? Have you got the nightmares? ' I was like, 'That's what I've been having,'" Hayley remembers.
"She told me not to worry and that it was to be expected after the complete shock I'd had to my system. She reassured me that other people had been through the same and just to take a deep breath. She just really helped me."
Two months after their split, Hayley is still in counselling and is passionate about urging others in similar situations to seek help. She's found comfort in the stories of others since sharing her own ordeal, creating a supportive online community for those with broken hearts.
"It melts my heart. They just tell me everything that they're going through," she shares. "Everyone's got a story to share. A lot of men have got in contact as well. I didn't realise how many people would reach out to me. It's made me realise I've got a lovely community online where people have opened up to me. I will always reply to everyone."
Hayley, who firmly states she doesn't "give second chances" is gradually rediscovering her old self. For the first time in weeks, the GB News regular and entertainment journalist has been able to think back on her breakup without being swamped by sadness.
On the dating front, Hayley isn't rushing into another relationship, but she's open to socialising. "I'm now getting to the stage where I don't want to get into anything, but I could go for a drink, have a laugh and a nice dinner," she admits.
While her fairytale ending may still be on the horizon, Hayley remains upbeat about her love life.
"I see good in people," she asserts, "I watch every romcom and I live for the fairytale. What it has taught me is to look out for red flags and keep my boundaries firmly in place. But am I going to give up? Absolutely not."
Meanwhile, a representative for Mark Labbett chose not to comment.
