Inside Fearne Cotton's new 'incredibly happy romance' weeks after husband split

Fearne Cotton appears to be moving on after she was pictured kissing a TV director. It comes after she revealed that her relationship with husband Jesse Wood had come to an end in December

Former radio DJ Fearne Cotton appears to be moving on following her split from Jesse Wood after she was pictured kissing TV director Elliot Hegarty.

In December, the Happy Place podcast host revealed that she and husband Jesse, with whom she shares two children, 11-year-old son Rex and eight-year-old daughter Honey, had gone their separate ways after 10 years of marriage. “It is with a heavy heart that I let you all know that Jesse and I are ending our marriage. Our priority has been and always will be our children. We please ask that you respect the privacy of our family at this time,” a statement shared on social media read.

Three months on from the announcement, Fearne, 43, appears to be moving on from the split after the former BBC Radio 1 DJ was pictured kissing TV director Elliot Hegarty. The pair have reportedly been “quietly dating” since January. According to reports, Elliot ended his marriage to his wife, who he shares three children with, on Boxing Day.

“Fearne and Elliot have known each other for a while. When their marriages ended their friendship developed into romance. They have been seeing each other since January. Her split with Jesse was incredibly difficult but Elliot seems to make her incredibly happy. Fearne is now introducing Elliot to friends and they’re pleased to see her smiling again,” a source told The Sun.

In pictures obtained by the publication, Fearne could be seen wearing a black coat, trousers and heeled boots as she shared a kiss with the director. To finish off the chic look, the presenter accessorised with a trendy leopard print crossbody bag and wore her hair in bouncy loose waves.

Meanwhile Elliot looked suave in a dark coloured jacket which he wore with a pair of jeans. The 53-year-old is known for working on shows including Rivals, Ted Lasso and Bad Education. He has also worked on feature films, The Bad Education Movie and the 2000 release County Kilburn.

The snaps come 11 weeks after Fearne revealed that her marriage to Reef guitarist Jesse had come to an end. The former couple began dating in 2011 after meeting while in Ibiza – where Fearne was on a girls’ trip at the time.

“We spoke for seven hours, while friends danced nearby on sofas with luminous curly wigs on. The whole scene was utterly ridiculous, but perfectly magical,” she wrote in Red Magazine in 2020.

“I felt the heat of Ibiza’s sticky night sky, the slow motion of the moment spurred on by one too many espresso martinis, the nervousness that lingered in the air between my face and Jesse’s, the drunken grins all around.

“It was the night I found true love and became infatuated with Ibiza. The summer of 2011 will be etched on my heart forever.

Three years after meeting, Fearne and Jesse, who is the son of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, tied the knot in 2014 during a romantic ceremony in London. Among those in attendance were Holly Willoughby, Dermot O'Leary and Matt Willis as well as the members of McFly.

Following the special day, Fearne gave fans a glimpse inside the occasion as she shared a snap of herself and Jesse dancing while Tom Odell serenaded them. “The happiest day,” she wrote. “So full of love. Family I love. Friends I couldn't live without. The soul mate. This moment I will never forget. Thank you Tom Odell for this magical moment.”

During their time together, Fearne and Jesse, 48, welcomed two children together – Rex and Honey. Fearne was also a proud step-mother to Jesse’s son Arthur, 22, and daughter Lola, 19.

Speaking about her family life, she told Red Magazine in 2020: “We have raised the kids as siblings; there is no ‘half’ about it. Though they have different mothers, the love between them is full. The small ones idolise the big ones and the big ones dote on the small ones.

“Of course, Rex and Honey annoy the hell out of Arthur and Lola, with a constant need for attention and inclusion, and they in turn infuriate the younger ones by wanting quiet time in their bedrooms. Still, the love is always omnipresent.”