Calum Best and his girlfriend Ianthe Rose Cochraine-Stack have given their first joint interview to HELLO! magazine. The besotted couple kept their romance secret during Calum's recent time in the Celebrity Big Brother house – but are now proud to discuss their increasingly serious relationship. In fact, Calum tells HELLO! that Ianthe has already met his mum Angie Best – the first time he has ever introduced a girlfriend to her before.
Calum Best and Ianthe Rose have given their first joint interview to HELLO!
"I had to keep leaving the room," Calum, 34, told HELLO! "It was massive to me. I've been a pretty closed book in relationships. I've kept a lot private, not wanting to let people get too close. But they got on so great. My mum can see how crazy I am about Ianthe, and she's thrilled that she’s come into my life at a really good time because everything is positive and I’m in a really good place. "I have honestly never felt this strongly about anyone before or wanted to evolve a relationship as much as I do this one. And that feels really great." Calum says that 23-year-old Ianthe was constantly in his thoughts while in the house – and the separation only strengthened their relationship, which began after he spotted her shooting the music video for Olly Murs' single Wrapped Up.
"Ianthe was on my mind every single day," he said. "I would picture me scooping her up in my arms and her sat on the sofa at my flat, smiling that beautiful smile of hers. What is it they say? Distance makes the heart grow fonder? And it's true, because I have never been so desperate to see someone as I was by the end of that four weeks." Ianthe also tells the magazine how she doesn't care about Calum's previous Playboy reputation. "The way I look at it," says Ianthe, "everyone, Calum included, is entitled to a past, and whilst I will judge him, I will do it from what I know of him, not on a reputation. And what I know of him so far is that he is the sweetest, kindest, most considerate man I have ever been involved with. He is, as people are now realising, a real gentleman and I find that really refreshing."
Read the full interview in HELLO! out now
