Cerys: We were different animals outside jungle

Cerys reveals the real reason she split with celeb lover Marc Bannerman

By Jane Atkinson

HEARTBROKEN Cerys Matthews has revealed exactly why her "perfect" romance with celebrity jungle lover Marc Bannerman dramatically hit the skids.

Talking exclusively to the News of the World singer Cerys told how she sensationally dumped the former EastEnders star just before Valentine's Day after realising they were a total MISMATCH.

She said: "I fell for Marc and loved being with him...but we were very different in many ways. It had to end."

In fact the whirlwind fling that began so magically in front of millions of TV viewers on I'm a Celebrity was wrecked by a catalogue of differences:

HE loves his cool showbiz life in a trendy part of london, SHE'S a mum-of-two village girl in Wales.

HE'S a protective macho man who takes charge on dates and orders everything, SHE'S a fiercely independent spirit who insists on making her own decisions.

Click to see video of how they were

HE'S a real tidy-up fan with everything in its place, SHE'S at home in mess and chaos.

HE'S a great cook rustling up roast chicken and tasty treats, SHE'S hopeless and burned his soup.

HE takes a keen pride in his clothes, SHE'S happy in the same old outfits and hates shopping.

Pop star Cerys, 38, admitted she and Marc knew within weeks of coming back from Australia that their differences, work and living so far apart would kill the romance.

Crazy

"We realised that being in the jungle was very different from normal day-to-day life in Britain," she said. "It was very hard with my responibilities to my children plus trying to find time to see each other."

Cerys regrets the great romance didn't have the slow build-up like normal couples have, with time to adjust to each other's ways.

"We didn't date or gradually get involved," she explained. "We fell in love on national TV in front of millions. And it rollercoastered.

"It all seemed so full-on. There was no going back, no trying to start from the beginning. I couldn't rewind the clock and take it slowly, it had gone too far."

When Cerys left I'm A Celeb and met up again with Marc, 34-after long-term lover Sara Matravers had ditched him for his on-screen flirting-they had no idea of the close public scrutiny in store. There were even claims they had cooked up the fling just for publicity.

But Cerys insisted: "I was gutted by that. This WAS the real thing. It was a simple, wonderful love story -but there was so much pressure on us it was crazy."

Four days after Cerys arrived home in December, Marc made the eight-hour journey from north London to her cottage in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

She said: "It was wonderful to see him and lovely to to talk instead of just giving knowing looks.

"It was such a strange relationship right from the start. We were already a couple before we got to know each other. But everything seemed perfect, we were completely smitten and said we loved each other. I did love him and a part of me always will."

Click here for more pics of Cerys

Marc and Cerys locked themselves away with her children-Johnny, two, and Glenys Pearl, four-as they tried to get to know each other.

Cerys said: "I fancied Marc like mad. He's so sexy with gorgeous brown eyes and curly eyelashes. Everything was totally perfect, we clicked in all the right places.

"Having adult company after coming out of a divorce and becomign a single mum at the start of the year was lovely. It was magic. We snuggled up on the sofa with the fire, watching old movies, drinking red wine and Guinness.

"I was full of hope for us, I thought we had a future. We didn't talk marriage but we did talk of having children together one day.

"It was a wonderful honeymoon period. But soon harsh reality kicked in. I realised it was too much too soon. When my musicians arrived from America ready for my tour at the beginning of this month, I knew I had to knuckle down with work. And I realised that I couldn't handle it all."

First the constant travelling was a pain-and the pair considered getting a house together in London or Wales. "We couldn't just nip around to each other's homes," said Cerys. "We lived eight hours apart.

"I wanted to think our future was together. I even looked at nurseries and schools for the children near Marc's home. But I felt torn.

"The idea of moving from Wales was massive. I really wanted Glenys Pearl to stay there learning Welsh, nevertheless at the same time I wanted to be with Marc.

"I was this single mum and there was this man, a real gentleman, who'd come along and swept me off my feet. But the distance involved was a strain, and the differences between us were too much."

At first independent Cerys, warmed to Marc's old-fashioned man-of-the-house ways. "It was intoxicating," she admitted. "His manners were gorgeous and he'd insist on paying for everything.

"But I remember us going for an Indian meal, one of the only two proper dates we ever had, and HE chose what I should eat.

"He picked the wine AND the food, which was a shock. I didn't tell him I prefer to order my own stuff because our relationship was so new. He was being a gent, trying to make everything perfect and stress-free for me.

"But that's something I'm not familiar with-and long term probably WOULDN'T have wanted. On the road with a band it's not like that."

And lurking in the kitchen was the next landmine issue waiting to explode.

Cerys said: "Marc's an amazing cook and impressed my family with his roast chicken. He'd bring me bacon sandwiches in bed.

"I think he'd have loved me to be a good cook too-but I was a DISASTER.

"I tried cooking him bean and chorizo soup and I burnt it. It was probably a disappointment for him and I really couldn't expect him to eat it-it was stuck on the bottom of the pan."

Potty

Cerys fears the reality of her simple, country life came as a shock for when Marc stayed for three days.

"I don't know what he expected," she said. "But I'm from a rural area. I don't drive a Mercedes or have a full-time nanny. I don't have special times to have my nails done, I do my own washing and I can't cook.

"I think Marc thought I was a bit of a girlie girl. But I've only recently come back from living in America so most of my clothes are in storage and I only wear a couple of outfits.

"And Marc noticed. I remember him saying, 'Have you got any other jumpers?' I think he was surprised that I lived so simply, hate shopping and don't have a fancy wardrobe.

"And I think he found it difficult being with a woman with kids, although he adored them. But Johnny was going through potty training and would come in three times a night to wake us up, then at 6am he'd hurl his nappy over my head.

"I'm his mum and didn't mind one bit. Marc was a gentleman and didn't say anything-but it must have been a shock for him.

"Mealtimes with the children are chaos too and I know it must have been hard. I'm used to it but poor Marc just had to muck in. It was all too intense. And as he didn't live around the corner he couldn't just nip away from it.

"Marc was much tidier than me, too. I don't think he could cope with the mess in my little cottage. My life there IS chaotic. My clothes and the kids' toys are everywhere. I think that was a bit of a shocker for Marc. But I'm living in a tiny village, he lives in London. London people are maybe a bit more sophisticated, they lead a different life."

There was more domestic mayhem when Cerys took the kids to stay with Marc in London.

"I wanted to take them ice skating and to feed the ducks." said Cerys. "But it was a disaster. We all caught a cold and Glenys Pearl was screaming with a fever. We were switching beds all night and I remember Marc saying, 'This could be the rest of my life.' And he looked scared!"

Then Cerys sighed: "So many things were stacked against us."

Now in the middle of her sellout UK tour, Cerys reflected on the blighted romance and insisted: "I can't fault Marc and I'm not embarrassed about our relationship, or how we met. I'm just heartbroken it didn't work."

She then relived her painful call to Marc telling him it was over. She said: "I looked at my schedule and it was full, full of looking after the children, rehearsals and my tour. I just didn't know when I could next see Marc and I realised that wasn't fair to him. So I rang him. It was so sad. I told him, 'I'm overwhelmed. Everything's moved too fast, too much.'

"I told him how I couldn't cope with the children, finding a home, settling into the UK, my tour AND a long distance relationship. There was no solution.

"When Marc said 'I love you', that was very upsetting. We didn't row. It was just very, very sad. I'm a romantic and it was heartrending. We were both in tears. But Marc wasn't shocked by the news-I think we both knew the sad reality.

"We haven't seen each other since, but I hope we do soon. It's still raw at the moment but I hope we can be friends."

And at least Cerys has come out of life with Marc having a new goal to conquer. "I need to concentrate on being a domestic goddess now," she admitted.

"I think my first challenge is being able to cook!"