Originally published September 2012;
He’s currently embroiled in a vicious legal battle with ex-wife Jordan, but Peter Andre appears to be taking it in his stride.
And insiders say he’s even telling pals that, despite the “black cloud hanging over him,” he’s feeling happier than ever thanks to his relationship with student Emily MacDonagh.
Unable to resist gushing publicly about his new romance, sources reveal he’s so loved-up, he’s even discussing proposing to Emily, 23, at the end of the year.
'He’s saying she ‘completes’ him and is his inspiration now'
A pal says: “Emily adores him and he’s just buzzing. He credits her with giving him a new lease of life – he’s writing loads of songs again, cooking every day and wakes up with a smile on his face. He’s saying she ‘completes’ him and is his inspiration now.
“He’s talking about asking her to marry him over the New Year – in his heart, it’s a done deal.”
Pete, 39, has known Emily for two years, since her surgeon father, Dr Ruaraidh MacDonagh, performed a kidney stone operation on him. They were first spotted on dates in July and he recently gushed: “She’s pretty damn close to perfect,” adding last week: “Things are going brilliantly between us. We’re really happy.”
And, after revealing he’d put plans to celebrate his 40th birthday in Las Vegas in February 2013 on hold to spend more time with Emily, he even joked: “Maybe I’ll have my stag do there instead… Just kidding!”
But friends say Pete is seriously considering popping the question and is blissfully happy, despite his legal war with Jordan, 34, escalating earlier this month.
The pair, who split in 2009 after nearly four years of marriage, have been locked in battle since March, when Jordan filed papers suing Pete, her former manager Claire Powell, management company Can Associates, and former friend Jamelah Asmar for breach of privacy. She’s reportedly seeking £250,000 damages.
She is accusing them of trying to “bring about hostile and upsetting press coverage” to destroy her reputation – which they strongly deny.
Another of the allegations is that they spread rumours Jordan had an affair with her horse-riding trainer Andrew Gould, resulting in a pregnancy which she terminated – which both Jordan and Andrew strenuously deny.
On top of that, she claims Pete and Can tried to send a picture of a burn her daughter Princess sustained on a family holiday last year to a national newspaper.
Jordan also claims Pete deliberately denied all knowledge of her alleged rape by a mystery celebrity “some years ago” when she spoke about it in 2009, knowing it would worsen a public backlash against her.
Pete’s camp strongly deny all allegations and say the matter will be “defended vigorously.”
The pair are parents to Junior, seven, and Princess, five, while Harvey, 10 – from her relationship with footballer Dwight Yorke – is Pete’s stepson.
A source says: “This court case could have really destroyed Pete, by dragging him back into the dark days of their split. But he says Emily has really lifted his spirits and stops him from getting down.
“She keeps him living in the present. It’s like he can’t bear to be without her at the moment. He loves that she gets on so well with the children, too.”
'[The kids] love her. She’s Auntie Emily to them'
Pete even said recently: “[The kids] love her. She’s Auntie Emily to them.”
Meanwhile, sources reveal Jordan – real name Katie Price – is feeling low and lonelier than ever as she deals with the legal row and her rocky relationship with fiancé Leandro Penna.
Though she Tweeted last week: “Such a fun day today relaxing with brother @g00dshepherd and friends never laughed so much,” pals say Jordan is unhappy about her relationships.
She separated from her second husband, Alex Reid, in January 2011, after just 11 months of marriage. She’s been with Leo, 26, since February 2011, although they temporarily split later that year.
In July, Closer revealed Jordan had confessed to friends she wasn’t sure Leo was The One and was furious when reports linked him to a 19-year-old Spanish model, despite there being no evidence anything untoward happened.
A source says: “Jordan’s saying she worries she’ll never find true love. It hurts to see her ex moving on. She doesn’t seem happy with Leo any more and they can’t really talk to each other as his English still isn’t great.
“They don’t seem that close, but she sees being single as a ‘failure.’ She hates being alone – she’d rather be unhappy with someone than alone.”