TV presenter Hayley Palmer has been left ‘heartbroken’ after The Chase star Mark Labbett broke up with her on Saturday.
Mark, 58, blamed their 16-year age gap for the end of their romance, leaving Hayley, 42, bereft just two days after they celebrated their one-year anniversary with a trip to the beach.
The couple both shared the same picture on Instagram of them both looking loved up by the sea, with Hayley placing her arm lovingly around Mark.
The caption they both shared was written by Hayley and said: ‘One Year Anniversary – Same Beach, Same Bench 🙂 @markthebeastlabbett.’
And unaware that anything was wrong, Hayley had written in the comments of Mark’s post: ‘So happy.’
Hayley Palmer, 42, is ‘heartbroken’ following her split from The Chase star Mark Labbett, 58, as he blamed 14-year age gap for break-up despite celebrating their anniversary two days before
Unaware that anything was wrong, Hayley had written in the comments of Mark’s post: ‘So happy’ on Thursday
Confirming news of their break-up on her Instagram Stories on Saturday, Hayley wrote: ‘It is with regret I announce that myself and Mark have gone our separate ways’
But then the split shocked fans on Saturday when Hayley announced that it was all over between them
She penned: ‘It is with regret I announce that myself and Mark have gone our separate ways.
‘We had the best year together and I truly wish him all the best for the future.’
She added: ‘Off I go to listen to Taylor Swift,’ with a broken heart emoji.
A source told The Sun: ‘Mark had a lovely time with Hayley and has a lot of respect for her but they wanted different things.
‘She loves getting dressed up and going out to parties and showbiz events, whereas he prefers to stay at home.
‘Mark felt there was too much of an age gap between them for long-term success. They are still friendly.
‘Away from his job on telly and filming, Mark enjoys a quiet life and spending time with his son. He is still hopeful he can meet someone to settle down with one day.’
Quizzer Mark, 58, is best known as The Beast on iTV game show, The Chase
Prior to their anniversary celebrations last week, Mark had spoken about what he had planned for their date on the special day
Mark, known as The Beast on The Chase, and Hayley spoke about their one year anniversary during an appearance on Loose Women earlier this month.
The pair, who met through their work, said the fact they didn’t see each other too often meant they felt their bond was stronger.
He said: ‘Because we live quite a bit apart – I live up in Sheffield, Rotherham, she’s a Chelsea girl – we tend to look at our diaries and see if we can sync up together.
‘The good news is we see each other every few weeks, but we make the most of it when we’re together so we get the best of both worlds.’
Hayley added: ‘The good news is we see each other every few weeks, but we make the most of it when we’re together so we get the best of both worlds.
‘We don’t see each other and then I’m like: “Actually, we’re really looking forward to coming together…”‘
Hayley playfully elbowed Mark before finishing: ‘…And not sharing our chips!’ And the audience roared with laughter.’
Prior to their anniversary celebrations Mark spoke to The Sun about what he had planned for their date on the special day.
He said: ‘We found a bench in a peaceful spot by the beach and spent hours talking and getting to know each other, so we’ve decided to go back to celebrate our anniversary.
‘As luck would have it, there’s a rather nice Beefeater near to where her parents live. They already know Hayley’s order — nachos and chips.’
Hayley said at the time she could not wait for the date and would make their anniversary ‘last a month’ if she could.
The pair had been dating since early 2023, with Mark previously admitting he was a ‘very very lucky man’ to be with her.
Sources claimed the star wooed the TV presenter on a string of dates after being ‘friends for some time’, following his split from his wife Katie in 2020.
Hayley previously admitted to Good Morning Britain: ‘I don’t watch The Chase, no offence, but I’m never in at 5pm.
The pair had been dating since early 2023, with Mark previously admitting he was a ‘very very lucky man’ to be with her
A source said ‘Mark likes staying in, whereas Hayley prefers to be out partying’, which is part of her career
In a further blow, a source said : ‘He is still hopeful he can meet someone to settle down with one day’
‘I did come and watch Beat The Chasers and he got everything right and I was like, “Wow that’s really sexy”.’
Mark admitted the relationship had its challenges due to the distances between them, with him living in Rotherham, whereas Hayley is London-based.
Speaking about the long distance, he said: ‘We consult a lot with our diaries, so for example we’ve both worked out that we are in Southampton next month for a few nights, so we’ve arranged a few dates while we’re down there.’
Hayley added: ‘I think it’s healthy sometimes. When you meet someone, it’s too much too soon but we both really look forward to seeing each other in a few weeks.’