James Haskell has gone public with his rumoured new love interest, Big Brother star Sara McLean.
The rugby player, 39, was seen holding hands with the glamorous reality starlet, who boasts a string of famous exes, as they attended Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday.
Sara, a beauty queen and reality star has previously dated US World Cup goalie hero Tim Howard, rugby star Ben Cohen, cricket legend Shane Warne and TOWIE’s Mario Falcone.
Meanwhile, James’ most high-profile relationship was with fitness influencer Chloe Madeley, 37, whom he split from in October 2023. The pair share two-year-old daughter Bodhi.
In January he was linked to newly single mother-of-two Helen Barclay, who bore a striking resemblance to Chloe.
Yet the relationship appears to have fizzled out, with James pictured parading his new romance with Sara at the horse racing-based meeting.
His ex-wife Chloe previously revealed she knows the former Wasps flanker has been ‘having fun’ seeing other people, but maintained the pair still have a healthy relationship as they continue to co-parent.
James Haskell has unveiled his new girlfriend to the world, Big Brother star Sara McLean, with the couple going public at Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday
The rugby player, 39, was seen holding hands with the glamorous reality starlet, who previously dated US World Cup goalie hero Tim Howard and rugby star Ben Cohen
James and Chloe Madeley, who married in 2018 and share daughter Bodhi, two, confirmed they had split in a joint statement released in October 2023
Sara is a former Miss Edinburgh and Big Brother contestant who shocked Housemates when she gave a tearful rendition of God Save The Queen, before going on a rant about people who hate the royal family.
On the reality show, Sara appeared alongside a former porn star, a plus-size model and a one-time LA gang member, before eventually coming fourth after spending two months in the house.
Sara – who attended Edinburgh’s George Watson’s College, which charges annual fees of around £9,800 – has enjoyed a string of high-profile romances since finding fame on the show.
Notably, she was engaged to American keeper Tim, whom she started dating in 2013.
News first emerged about their romance in July 2014 and Sara admitted she knew little about him before they started dating.
‘We don’t really talk about football that much, to be honest. I didn’t even watch football before we started going out,’ she told The Scottish Sun at the time.
‘He just laughs if I ever ask him anything about football.’
Despite dating a football star, Sara said she had no plans to become a WAG because she liked ‘to work and make my own money’ and didn’t want to become ‘dependent’ on anyone else.
The couple seemingly got engaged shortly afterwards as Sara was spotted wearing a huge diamond on her ring finger in 2015.
They were last spotted together when they went for a stroll on the beach in Miami in November 2015.
Notably, she was engaged to American keeper Tim, whom she started dating in 2013. At the time she was working as a banker in Scotland, revealing she met Tim at a party
In July 2015, her spokesman told the Daily Mail that she had a three-month romance with the athlete Ben Cohen following his split from his wife Abby
It is not known when the couple went their separate ways, but before her last sighting with Tim, she confirmed she was dating rugby star Ben Cohen.
In July 2015, her spokesman told the Daily Mail that she had a three-month romance with the athlete following his split from his wife Abby.
‘Sara can confirm that she was in a relationship with Ben,’ the spokesman said. ‘It ended several months ago.’
Tim moved on with his current girlfriend, Florida hair stylist Jamie Blum, in 2021 and the pair have been spotted on the red carpet together in recent years.
Before his romance with Sara, Tim was previously married to Laura Liebenrood, who he shares his children – a son Jacob and a daughter Ali – with.
Meanwhile, in October 2016, Sara was spotted on a glitzy night out with Australian cricket legend Shane Warne – who died from a heart attack in 2022.
At the time, Shane sent fans into a frenzy when he shared a picture of himself smiling alongside Sara as she went as his date to the Dunhill Links Championship dinner.
Alongside the snap, Shane penned: ‘Thank you to my gorgeous friend Sara McLean for attending the Dunhill Links Championship dinner with me tonight.
‘My shirt’s too tight, but Sara is rocking her black dress hahaha.’
Sara also enjoyed a date with late cricket legend Shane Warne
She was also seen on a night out with TOWIE star Mario Falcone on the eve of his 26th birthday in February 2014 – before her romance with Tim first emerged.
The Scottish model was photographed stepping out of Chinawhite with Mario before they moved on to the Libertine club during the fun-filled night out.
The pair looked like they were getting on famously as they giggled together outside the venue.
The following morning, Sara tweeted: ‘@REZ_SUPERSTAR @Libertine_Club @Mario_Falcone @charlessims_ never again I am dying a slow painful death! X.’
In recent years she appeared to have settled down, welcoming two children with Sales Director Peter Lloyd.
She also co-owns a recruitment business that she founded in 2016.
On Big Brother, Sara confessed to an obsession with the Queen and left housemates baffled with a drunken rant backing the monarchy.
She also threatened to punch model Arron Lowe after he talked about pouring the housemates’ alcohol down a drain.
During her entrance, Sara declared her love for Margaret Thatcher and also admitted being argumentative and having a short temper.
While in the house, she missed her graduation in marketing management from Edinburgh’s Napier University.
Sara is a former Miss Edinburgh and Big Brother contestant who shocked housemates on the reality show when she gave a tearful rendition of God Save The Queen (pictured in 2012)
One of the first things she did when she left the house was to watch the Queen’s cameo with Daniel Craig at the Olympics opening ceremony.
Sara said: ‘I watched the Queen with James Bond and it was brilliant -she proved why she’s great for Britain.
‘When Prince William got married it was the happiest day of my life. When Prince Philip was ill I got really emotional. It’s the one thing in my life that I’m passionate about.’
James and Chloe announced their split in October 2023 after several months of speculation their marriage was on the rocks.
During Chloe’s ITV reality show, Chloe Madeley: A Family Affair, which aired around the same time they announced their split, cracks in their relationship were apparent.
Notably, clashes over James’s new lifestyle which involved DJing abroad and partying with glamorous women, while his wife took care of most of the parenting duties back home.
Speaking to The Sun last month, Chloe – the daughter of veteran TV couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan – admitted the latter stages of their marriage was ‘awful’, ‘dark’ and ‘painful’.
Chloe said: ‘When you tell people that you are divorcing, everyone sees it as such a negative thing.
‘They say: ‘This is going to be so hard for you.’ And, yes, it is, but the hardest bit was when we were married.
‘The last year of the marriage was awful. It was so dark, painful, and one of the worst periods of my life. It’s a good thing we ended it. It was so incredibly scary. I’m amazed I got through it in the way that I did.
‘I think more people should see it as a positive thing. I’m so proud of myself and so relieved that I actually called it a day.’
Sara also works as a model and owns a recruitment firm
In January, James was linked to newly single mother-of-two Helen Barclay – who bore a striking resemblance to Chloe – with the pair enjoying a cosy dinner date
After their split, the couple still lived together in their north London home and were often spotted together with Bodhi as they tried to be as amicable as they could for their little girl.
Despite some fans thinking the two were back together because of this, Chloe confirmed that they had both moved on, adding she expects the former I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! star to find a new partner before she does.
She said: ‘It’ll probably happen for James long before it happens to me if it hasn’t already.
‘I’m waiting for the conversation to happen at some point.’
Tensions were high before the couple split, with James even claiming Chloe treats him ‘like a dog’ and likened their relationship to ‘World War Three’.
In one episode of their reality show before their break-up was announced, James moaned: ‘She shushes me like I’m a dog or like I’m a baby. I’m like ‘shush me again and that’s the last thing you’ll ever do.”
Chloe went on to explain: ‘The difficulty in mine and James’s relationship comes from the fact that both of us think we’re in charge.’
Confirming the end of their marriage in a statement in October 2023, the couple said: ‘Chloe and I mutually decided to separate at the end of September, 2023.
‘We had not planned on releasing a statement at this time – certainly not while the television show was airing – but constant speculation about our marriage has, unfortunately, forced our hand.’
She added: ‘Beyond this statement, we will not be speaking about this matter publicly, and we would request privacy at this time.
‘Our sole focus now is our beautiful daughter. We shall continue to co-parent with nothing but love.’
Sharing his own statement on Instagram, James said: ‘It’s with a lot of sadness I write this post, but unfortunately, in the world we live in, it has to be done.
‘My priority is my daughter’s and Chloe’s happiness and security. For that reason, I won’t be commenting any further.’
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