Megan Barton-Hanson has asked for privacy as she and Wes Nelson "consciously uncouple and co-parent" their hamster.
Megan Barton-Hanson
The 'Love Island' star revealed on Saturday (26.01.18) that she and her boyfriend have ended their relationship, sharing the news in a statement on Instagram, which appeared to mock Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's break-up announcement.
She wrote: "It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate. We have been working hard for well under a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much, we will remain separate.
"We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we ever have been. We are parents first and foremost to one incredibly wonderful hamster and we ask for his and our space and privacy to be respected at this difficult time. We haven't really conducted our relationship that privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and co-parent, we will be able to continue in the same manner."
In a further message, she turned serious, adding: "In all seriousness, I am so grateful and so blessed to have found Wes, I will always love and adore him and I am so lucky to call him my best friend. It has been an incredibly hard decision to make for both of us but we are looking forward to moving on together as friends and supporting each other in everything we do.
"I will be down at Dancing On Ice tomorrow to watch him smash it again. Only one thing left to say, come on Wes and Vanessa!"
The news that Megan, 24, will continue to support 'Dancing On Ice' contestant Wes, 20, and his professional partner Vanessa Bauer comes as a surprise after Megan recently lashed out at Vanessa on Instagram.
Megan and Wes moved in together in October and had been talking about marriage but their relationship was put under strain after she accused Vanessa of a "tactical break-up" with her own boyfriend Louis Nathaniel, while partnering Wes on 'Dancing On Ice'.
In an Instagram post in which she tagged Vanessa, Megan, 24, wrote: "@vanessabauer_skates love that you decide to announce your breakup with your boyfriend on the night of your first performance with my boyfriend! You've never reached out to me once or invited me to watch you train, it pained you to introduce yourself to me last night you didn't even look me in the eye LOL hope the tactical breakup got you the headlines you wanted babe (sic)."
Megan added later in an interview that 'DOI' had been tough on their relationship.
She said: "Every woman will tell you it's not ideal to have your boyfriend spending 12 hours a day with another woman - a little introduction from Vanessa would have gone a long way.
"'Dancing on Ice' is very romantic and all about looking into each other's eyes and parading around on the ice and being loved up together - it's not easy to watch."
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