We love an unlikely celebrity pairing, and it doesn’t get much more unlikely than model Melanie Sykes and comedy actor Steve Coogan – AKA Alan Partridge.
A new report claims the pair have been “secretly dating” for the past month, and recently enjoyed a “romantic weekend” at his country house in Sussex.
A source told The Sun: “They have been taking it slowly but last weekend they spent the whole weekend together. She went down to his place in Sussex and came back saying it had gone really well. The weekend together was a bit of a test of whether the relationship has legs — and it seems it has.
“People who know them have been joking about how well Steve has done — and even using DJ Alan Partridge’s catchphrase ‘Back of the net!'”
TV presenter Melanie, 48, apparently met Steve – best known for Alan’s catchphrase “Aha!” – at the launch party of his new film Stan & Ollie, about the lives of famous comedy double act, Laurel and Hardy.
Steve, 53, plays Stan Laurel, while US star John C. Reilly is Oliver Hardy.
The insider added: “Mel seems pretty smitten and head over heels with him. She’s been talking about him a lot to her friends. They have a lot in common. Mel has been totally won over by his charm.”
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Fans were divided over the surprising news, with some saying Mel could do better than Steve – who returns to TV screens this week on This Time With Alan Partridge.
One commented: “Setting her standards very low,” while another joked: “Until she realised he was Alan Partridge.”
Others loved the idea of Mel and Steve being an item.
Mel – best known for presenting Today With Des And Mel alongside Des O’Connor in the early noughties – was most recently linked to singer and The Voice coach, Olly Murs.
She previously married to actor Daniel Caltagirone in January 2001, and the pair share two sons, Roman, 16, and Valentino, 14.
After their divorce in 2009, the gorgeous Mel married Jack Cockings in 2013, but they split after less than a year.
Steve, meanwhile, was married for three years to Caroline Hickman before their divorce in 2005.
He also has a grown-up daughter, Clare Coogan-Cole from a previous relationship.
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ED! has contacted Steve and Melanie’s reps for comment.
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