Victoria Pendleton has opened up about her new boyfriend in an exclusive interview with HELLO! magazine.
Two years after her divorce, the former track cycling champion turned amateur jockey has a new man on the scene, and while they don't live together – yet, at least – "It's all really good, so I'm very, very happy about it," she tells us with a smile.
Speaking from her Oxfordshire home, the two-time Olympic gold medallist said: "After the divorce, it took a while for me to get into the right headspace to start dating, but yes, I've got a boyfriend and it's really good.
Victoria spoke to us from her Oxfordshire home
"I still live on my own – maybe in the future we would move in together. We spent a lot of time during lockdown together; it was a good test of a new relationship and I'm glad to say it was very easy. We both have our own lives and our independence, which I think is a good thing."
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On the subject of marriage, she added: "I don't think it's for me. I kind of felt a little bit… that I didn't necessarily want to do it. I think I felt a lot of pressure and expectation; that it's what you do: you get to a certain age, you meet someone, you get married and live happily ever after.
"It's all really good, so I'm very, very happy about it," she said of her new relationship
"Now I'm a bit older and – dare I say – wiser, I'm in a place where I think: 'I'm going to do what I want to do for the right reasons, instead of feeling like I should,' which is definitely how I did feel at the time."
Victoria is starring in ITV's new show Don't Rock the Boat, which airs on Monday. She joins 11 other famous faces, including fellow Olympian Denise Lewis and pop stars Fleur East and Kimberly Wyatt, for the reality show that sees two teams attempt to row the length of Britain.
Pick up this week's issue of HELLO! on sale now for the full interview.
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