Jacqueline Jossa has a busy year ahead of her, as she’s set to reprise her role as Lauren Branning in BBC One’s EastEnders this autumn.
So it makes sense that she’s chosen to focus her attention on her baby girl, Ella Selina, and on getting back to work, as opposed to planning her wedding to TOWIE star Dan Osborne.
Speaking in this week's OK! Magazine, the actress admitted that the couple have been forced to postpone their wedding plans after running out of time to get everything organised.
She said: "We just ran out of time to plan everything. I thought we had ages and then all of a sudden it was March and we didn’t have anything booked."
However the 23-year-old added that her and Dan’s relationship is NOT, despite claims in the press, falling apart.
She said: ”Just because we’ve postponed the wedding, it doesn’t mean our relationship is falling apart!"
Jacqueline was ‘ambushed’ during a recent Loose Women interview, which saw her questioned incessantly about Dan’s relationship with his ex, Megan Tomlin.
The presenters - Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan, Janet Street Porter and Sherrie Hewson - also quizzed her about Dan threatening to "stab" his ex-girlfriend Megan Tomlin, with whom he shares son Teddy, last year.
Taking to her Twitter account to vent her anger over the situation, she ranted: "Can't express how upset I am, was told the interview on loose women today was to be about being a young mum and going back to work. Don't know who's fault it was, but I made it clear I didn't want to dwell on the past, and answer certain questions.
"Going on live tv is hard enough for me, but be told they would just touch on certain things, and them do the complete opposite is unfair. Wouldn't have done it otherwise, bored of talking about it all now! Was just unfair! I'm angry they let told me it would be about my daughter Ella and asked for her to be filmed and turned it into this. Shocking. Unfair (sic)."
So it makes sense that the talented actress, who will be joined by her on-screen father Jake Wood when she rejoins EastEnders later this year, has now taken the opportunity to stand up for herself.
Speaking with OK, she insisted: "I hate that people view me as some poor, vulnerable girl who is so put upon by Daniel. I don’t need a man to make me happy.
"I’m with Dan because I love him, not because I feel trapped with him or need someone!
“I would be absolutely fine on my own.”
It’s not the first time that Jacqueline has spoken candidly about her and Dan’s relationship.
In a recent interview with Closer, the young mum told us: “I don’t care about negativity with me and Daniel, I’m over it. I’m not defending him any more; I don’t care – it all happened a long time ago.
"Daniel gets on with Teddy’s mum, and that’s all that matters now – the past is irrelevant.
"There are, of course, times where I’ll wobble a bit and things are upsetting, but I go home and see Ella and it puts everything into perspective.”
Jac added: “She keeps me strong.”