Rachel Stevens, the 48-year-old S Club 7 star once voted the world's sexiest woman, has opened up about her struggles to find love, admitting she never gets chatted up. Despite her fame and beauty, she finds dating difficult, especially after recent heartbreaks.
Single Since Split with Brendyn Hatfield
Stevens has been single since separating from Dancing On Ice professional skater Brendyn Hatfield last year. She told The Mail, 'I get people very occasionally come up to me – there will be some people who come and say hi, which is lovely – but otherwise I just go about my day.' She also revealed she hasn't tried dating apps but is open to it, saying, 'I just love meeting people and you've got to follow your heart.'
Cautious After Past Heartbreak
A source close to the singer said she would love to meet 'The One' but is being extra cautious after suffering heartbreak in recent years, including a divorce. 'Rachel is not being fussy, she just doesn't want to go through what she's been through previously. She wants it to be right this time,' the source explained. 'She's been through a lot of heartache and her split from her husband did take its toll on her. She really wants to find the right guy and she wants to be married again. She wants to be out there dating, but it's more difficult than you think.'
Divorce from Alex Bourne
Stevens separated from her childhood sweetheart husband, real estate agent Alex Bourne, in 2022 after marrying in 2009. In an Instagram statement, she said, 'While we are no longer partners in marriage, we will remain partners in parenthood to our beautiful girls and continue with love and respect for each other.' The couple share daughters Amelie, 15, and Minnie, 12.
The singer later admitted she ended things with Alex after falling for Brendyn, whom she met on the ITV show in 2022. In an interview with Fabulous, she said of the divorce, 'I knew that we were growing... that I was growing apart, but I was in turmoil, because, first of all, my kids.' She added of telling Alex about Brendyn, 'It was really scary, because I knew as soon as I said that, that was it.'
Relationship with Brendyn Ends
While Alex has since remarried to art dealer Lily, Stevens' relationship with Brendyn did not last. They went Instagram official in 2023 but separated last summer. As she navigated single life, Stevens found there was a lot of trauma and baggage to unpack. 'I went from being married and went into another long relationship, and I don't know if I ever fully grieved the loss of my marriage,' she said on Hello!'s Second Act podcast. 'Some days you feel empowered. Other days, you just want to cry under the duvet and hide.'
Dating in the Public Eye
A source noted the difficulty of dating while famous: 'It's hard going on a dating app when everyone knows you're on it and it's in the press and you think, “Are these blokes with me for the right reason?” They're nervous to come up and talk to her. It's tough dating, being as beautiful and famous as she is.'
Stevens has been a pin-up since S Club 7's late 90s fame and was once voted the sexiest woman in the world by FHM. She reflected, 'I loved it but it was so of that time and that moment, the 90s and 00s. I mean, life has done a 360 now. It was really fun and I'll live off that forever. It's a great title to have, it was very flattering and lovely.'
Looking for the Right Guy
As she approaches her 50th birthday, Stevens is thinking about the person she wants to spend her life with. 'She loves laughing. She needs kindness and loyalty and it's hard to get all of that as well as having that chemistry. She loves being married and with someone and she's looking for that special guy,' the source said.
