Coleen Nolan has reportedly found happiness in a new romance with a man 20 years her junior, just months after her unsuccessful experience on the reality dating show Celebs Go Dating. The 61-year-old Loose Women star is said to be “smitten” with fashion lecturer Ryan Brockbank, with the relationship already appearing to move at a surprisingly fast pace.

Coleen and Ryan are believed to have started dating several months ago after she finished filming Celebs Go Dating, a programme she previously described as a “disaster” when it came to finding a romantic connection. Despite the disappointment of the show, it seems the experience may have helped her become more confident about what she wanted from a relationship.

Ryan, who is around 20 years younger than Coleen, works as a lecturer at the Fashion Retail Academy, a prestigious fashion school that has also been attended by celebrities including Molly-Mae Hague. He is understood to be creative and a father himself, qualities that have reportedly given him and Coleen plenty in common.

According to a source quoted by The Sun, Coleen is very taken with Ryan and has been talking about him frequently. The source also claimed that her children are aware of the relationship and that things between the pair are progressing quickly.

“Coleen is pretty smitten with Ryan. She talks about him all the time – her kids know about him and things are moving pretty fast,” the source said.

The couple are thought to have already enjoyed a romantic getaway together, while Ryan has also shared photographs of Coleen on social media. Their relationship became more visible over the weekend when Ryan was seen arm-in-arm with the television presenter as she supported her sisters during their show, An Afternoon With The Nolans.

Their romance comes after Coleen openly discussed her struggles with dating during her time on Celebs Go Dating. Although the show was supposed to help her meet a potential partner, Coleen admitted that the experience did not result in the romantic spark she had hoped for.

Speaking previously about the programme, she explained that she had enjoyed one particular date but ultimately discovered that the connection was more of a friendship. She also complained that many of the men she was introduced to lived in Essex, while she lives in Staffordshire, making the distance another obstacle.

Coleen nevertheless said that the dating agents and therapy sessions had been extremely beneficial. She felt that she had changed considerably from the beginning to the end of the process and had learned more about herself and relationships.

That experience now appears to have helped her approach dating differently in her personal life. Ryan is reportedly the first man she has been publicly linked to since the end of her most recent marriage.

Coleen was previously married to actor Shane Richie from 1990 until 1999. She later married Ray Fensome in 2007, with their marriage ending in 2018. She is also a mother of three, and the fact that Ryan has already met or been introduced to her children is being seen as an important development in their relationship.

Alongside the excitement surrounding her new romance, Coleen has also been in the spotlight over her dramatic weight loss. The television personality has proudly spoken about losing around 3.5 stone, going from a size 20 to a size 14 while working with weight-loss company Voy.

Coleen has said that the change has made a significant difference to how she feels physically and emotionally. Earlier this year, she revealed that she had more energy and that her back problems had improved. She also said that her confidence had benefited from the transformation.

However, Coleen has faced criticism online throughout her weight-loss journey. She previously explained that cruel comments about her appearance had been difficult to deal with because some of the insults echoed insecurities she had already experienced herself.

More recently, she said that people had begun attacking her for losing weight, with some claiming that she had become too thin. Coleen has made it clear that she is now happy with her weight and does not want to lose any more.

She has described her current goal as maintaining her progress while developing a healthier relationship with food and herself. She has also credited the support, coaching, nutritional guidance and mindset work associated with the programme for helping her make longer-term lifestyle changes.

Coleen previously expressed doubts about using weight-loss medication such as Ozempic, saying last year that she did not believe in it. Although she has worked with Voy, she has not clearly confirmed whether she has personally used weight-loss injections.

She has instead explained that a blood test showing she was pre-diabetic motivated her to take action for her long-term health. According to Coleen, the programme appealed to her because it offered medical guidance alongside coaching and nutritional support rather than simply promising a quick solution.

For now, however, it is her unexpected new romance that has captured attention. After a difficult attempt at finding love on television, Coleen appears to have discovered a promising relationship away from the cameras. With Ryan already spending time with her family and the pair enjoying romantic trips together, the relationship could mark a new and exciting chapter in the Loose Women star’s personal life.