Rebecca Adlington has opened up about meeting her partner Andy Parsons, with whom she is expecting their first child.
In an exclusive interview with HELLO! magazine, Becky reveals that the couple met in January 2018 on dating app Bumble, almost two years after the retired Olympic swimmer split from her husband, Harry Needs.
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Becky, 31, admits she was nervous about dating again – and wary of meeting anyone online. "Any kind of date is a big thing when you're not used to it, and I had never done online dating before," says the pregnant star, who also has a five-year-old daughter Summer with her ex.
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"I was wary, not just because of who I am but because I have a daughter as well, so I was very careful to check accounts were verified and linked to real social media accounts."
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She adds: "I had only been using the app for a month and Andy was the first person I went on a date with, so I feel like I hit the jackpot. We chatted for a couple of weeks and the conversation flowed easily before we met at a crazy-golf course in Liverpool.
"I was really scared that he would be totally different to his picture or we might not get on, but after about five minutes I relaxed and thought: 'This is fine.' It wasn't awkward at all and we just clicked."
Facilities manager Andy adds: "At first I thought Becky's profile was fake, but then I checked she was who she said she was."
Becky is having a boy, due in February
The couple quickly fell in love and Andy, 30, moved from Liverpool to live with Becky in Manchester last summer. The pair are expecting a baby boy, due at the end of February.
"We had a feeling [it would be a boy] and so did our friends and family," said the swimmer. "I feel different this time. I'm bigger and I've been craving carbs and savoury things, not sweet things like I did with Summer." She adds: "I put on four stone when I was pregnant with Summer, so I want to be as healthy as possible."
See the new issue of HELLO! magazine out now for the full interview and exclusive photos.
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