Former rugby star James Haskell has sparked romance rumours with a woman who bears a striking resemblance to his ex-wife Chloe Madeley, according to reports. The 39-year-old is reportedly in a new relationship with 34 year old Helen Barclay.
The couple have been seen during numerous get-togethers, including a Saturday night date in Knightsbridge. An insider divulged the details to MailOnline, stating: “James and Helen have kept their relationship relatively low-key, enjoying dates at coffee shops and restaurants, and going for walks since the latter end of 2023.
“But recently they’ve started to see more of each other and they’re enjoying each other’s company. They haven’t said they’re exclusive yet but they’re certainly dating.”
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Touching upon the shared experiences of the pair, the source mentioned: “They have a lot in common, especially both coming out of marriage splits. It’s fair to say they’ve helped each other in what has been a tough period of their lives.”
The source added: “The relationship is still in its early stages but both James and Helen are unsure where it will end up. James’s work and his love of DJing means nothing is straight forward, and Helen has two kids, so it’s harder to simply down tools and visit him abroad when he’s playing in some cool nightclub overseas.”
“But they’re not putting any pressure on it and are just having fun together. They’re exactly what they both need right now.”
James split from ex-wife Chloe in 2023 after five years of marriage. The daughter of TV legends Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan said the marriage had ended in an “awful” and “dark” way.
“When you tell people that you are divorcing, everyone sees it as such a negative thing,” she told The Sun, adding: ”They say: ‘This is going to be so hard for you.’ And, yes, it is, but the hardest bit was when we were married.
She admitted “the last year of the marriage was awful”, stating: “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.”
Chloe, 37, added that she didn’t want to go into the cause of the breakdown of their relationship to protect the couple’s daughter Bodhi from the “dark and painful experiences” she endured.