Katie Price confirms romance with MAFS UK star JJ Slater amid backlash from co-stars
It was the Married At First Sight plot-twist to end all plot twists when contestant JJ Slater was papped cosying up to glamour model Katie Price earlier this month.
Just weeks earlier, telly-lovers had watched the musician and reality star fall in love with transgender model Ella Morgan on the hit E4 dating show.
MAFS UK star JJ, 31, had previously been coupled up with Bianca Petronzi, before he and Ella began secretly locking lips behind-the-scenes, continuing in the process as a brand new couple themselves.
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Within a matter of weeks, however, the on-screen couple appeared to have parted ways.
When it comes to former I'm A Celeb star Katie, 45, however, the mother-of-five has endured a turbulent on/off romance with ex-Love Island contestant Carl Woods since 2021.
The couple ended their relationship - taking shots at one another on social media - before rekindling their romance once again.
Despite appearing to be 'back on' just before Christmas, with Carl featuring on several of Katie's Instagram uploads of stories, she appeared to declare 'I'm single' in a social media post delivered on New Year's Eve.
And earlier this month, Katie was filmed enjoying a night out with potential flame JJ in Newcastle.
Katie was seen leaning in to the dating show star as they cuddled up in the intimate venue, after which she was seen performing a song on karaoke.
A source told The Sun at the time: "They’ve met a few times and are texting each other constantly. She’s really into him - this is the first man she’s actually been interested in since Carl."
This week, however, following much speculation, Katie and JJ have finally confirmed their romance, following a PDA-filled ski-trip to Bulgaria.
Sharing a selfie alongside her new love interest, Katie gushed in the caption: "They say things happen for a reason, the unexpected happened. Fate. Ticks every box.
"@johnjoeslater you have proved to me you are a real gentleman and completely except me for me"
JJ then commented below: "Fate… thank you so much for being you"
Hundreds of fans have since noted their joy that Katie - who shares son Junior, 18, and daughter Princess, 16, with ex-husband Peter Andre, and son Jett, 10, and Bunny, nine, with former flame Kieran Hayler - has found herself a 'keeper'.
An inside source also told the MailOnline this week: "Katie's already introduced JJ to her youngest kids. It's so important to her that he gets along with them as they're a huge part of her life.
"They've been talking for a while but it seems like it's already getting serious.'"
On the other hand, however, JJ and Katie's exes - Ella and Carl - have since hit out at the duo for their new romance.
Carl, 35, shared a screenshot of a conversation he claims he had with Katie ahead of their trip on Instagram.
After the brunette beauty - who is also single mum to 21-year-old son Harvey Price - allegedly shared a single 'X', which appeared to be a 'kiss', he replied: "A kiss, you fry my brain".
"Why send me an X last night, knowing you're going to the airport with him on my birthday?".
Carl went on to tag JJ, writing: "She used to do this behind my back to. Enjoy the skiing bro".
And within hours of Carl's social media commentary, another insider told press that Ella, 29, is 'fuming' with their new romance.
"[She] feels really betrayed by Katie for talking to her ex JJ," they claimed.
"Ella and Katie have become friends over recent months, so it surprised her that Katie would do that."
They added: "She doesn’t have any feelings for JJ, she’s just livid that Katie went behind her back and broke girl code."
Tyla contacted Katie and JJ's representatives for comment on the MailOnline's relationship sourcing, Carl's Instagram post and Ella's reported criticism.
Topics: Married At First Sight, Katie Price, Sex and Relationships, Celebrity, TV And Film, Reality TV
Rhianna Benson