James Lock and Megan Barton-Hanson delivered a major TOWIE and Love Island crossover last year when they were pictured kissing on a night out amid claims they’d sparked up a romance while filming the latest series of Celebrity Ex on the Beach, before making their red carpet debut at the Gay Times Honours.
However, just two months later, the reality star pair were hit by claims they’d parted ways after a series of arguments during a romantic getaway to New York. Megan appeared to confirm reports when she admitted that things just “didn’t work out” between them.
Ahead of the premiere episode of the MTV show, which airs on MTV tonight, James and Megan both insisted they “never announced” they were a couple as they “never labelled” their relationship in an exclusive interview with Closer online.
“When you get papped together, people always assume,” Megan told us.
“I think we’ve both been very clear. We’ve obviously done this experience together and we’re like, ‘We’re friends, we’re not going to label it’. We’ve always been friends and we’re still friends.”
Lockie added, “I agree. We never ever announced anything – people just jump to conclusions all the time.”
CHECK OUT the most astonishing cross-TV romances that should never have been allowed to happen
The most astonishing cross-TV romances that should never have been allowed to happen (slider)
1 of 9Vicky Pattison and Spencer Matthews
After appearing on the 2015 series of I'm A Celeb together, reality OGs Vicky Pattison and Spencer Matthews enjoyed a whirlwind romance which culminated in a trip to Monaco before the Geordie Shore star dumped the Made in Chelsea bad boy to "protect" herself from his womanising ways.At the time, Vicky said, "Spencer is a lovely lad and he's told the truth. It was at the end of our trip to Monaco when he asked me what was going on. I was very open and honest and said I liked him, but I liked myself more. I don't want to be another girl who Spencer Matthews cheats on." Brutal.
2 of 9Joey Essex and Stephanie Pratt
Perhaps one of the unlikeliest reality TV couples of all time, TOWIE's Joey Essex wooed Beverly Hills princess turned Made in Chelsea star Stephanie Pratt when they appeared on Celebs Go Dating in 2016.The pair broke agency rules to be together but their relationship only lasted one month despite Joey admitting, "the L-word got thrown about". According to reports, he dumped Steph for "making him spend too much time in Chelsea" and she later confessed their split was far from amicable. "He hates me! I have no idea why he dislikes me so much but he did In Bed With Jamie [Laing] and said some rude things about me. We broke up over the phone when I was in LA and I've not seen him since," she told OK! magazine.
3 of 9Marnie Simpson and Ricky Rayment
Remember the jaw-dropping moment TOWIE's Ricky Rayment showed up on Geordie Shore with a ring and proposed to then-girlfriend Marnie Simpson? We'll never forget it, tbh. Their whirlwind romance was the talk of the town back in 2015 when Ricky popped the question just six months after they became an item. However, it all ended in tears a few months after Ricky got down on one knee and he later revealed he ended their engagement as he couldn't trust her to stay faithful on Geordie Shore's boozy nights out. Marnie then hit back at her "embarrassing" ex on Twitter for "still selling stories on me".
4 of 9Callum Izzard and Georgia Steel
Speaking of shotgun engagements, Ibiza Weekender star Callum Izzard proposed to Love Island's Georgia Steel within a MONTH of meeting her when they took part in MTV's Ex on the Peak back in 2019. They moved into a swanky Essex home together when filming ended and were together for seven months, but it was a hardly a surprise when it came to light they'd called off their engagement in April 2020 after they removed all traces of their relationship from Instagram and unfollowed each other.
5 of 9Demi Sims and Francesca Farago
Another whirlwind romance that was over almost as quickly as it began is that of TOWIE's Demi Sims and Too Hot to Handle star Francesca Farago. After striking up a romance on Instagram, Demi flew to Mexico to meet up with Francesca where they got tattoos of each other's names and dropped the L-bomb within just days. Francesca even moved across the world to be closer to Demi and appeared alongside her TOWIE, but it just wasn't meant to be and the Canadian reality star confirmed they'd split after four months of dating in May.
6 of 9Chloe Ferry and Jack Fincham
Although Geordie Shore's Chloe Ferry and Love Island 2018 winner Jack Fincham were never an official item, the pair sparked romance rumours in 2019 when she jetted off to Ibiza to clear her head after splitting from Sam Gowland. It was there that she was papped looking VERY cosy with Jack and he copped a feel of her bum. Chloe even posted a video of them cuddling up together on Instagram, sending fans wild on social media.
7 of 9Charlotte Crosby and Joshua Ritchie
What started as a beautiful love story ended in one of the most bitter celeb break-ups of recent times when Geordie Shore OG Charlotte Crosby split from Love Island and Ex on the Beach star Joshua Ritchie after two years in 2019. Both Charlotte and Josh threw major shade at one another on social media in the wake of the split and even his mum got involved when she liked an Instagram comment branding Charlotte a "psycho". Awks...
8 of 9Megan McKenna and Scotty T
Ah, the Celebrity Big Brother house, the place where romance can blossom between even the unlikeliest of celebs. There must be something in the air in that place. Although the 2016 series of CBB is best known for Tiffany Pollard's iconic 'David's Dead' scene and Gemma Collins, well, just being Gemma Collins, it's also where Ex on the Beach's Megan McKenna and Geordie Shore star Scotty T's brief romance blossomed. Although their relationship never quite took off in the same way as their co-stars Stephanie Davis and Jeremy McConnell, Megan and Scott spent most of their time in the house flirting with each other but it didn't go anywhere once the series finished.
9 of 9Lauren Goodger and Ricci Guarnaccio
The CBB house is also where Geordie bad boy Ricci Guarnaccio fell for Essex legend Lauren Goodger. While she was adamant nothing would happen in the house, she admitted she would consider a relationship when they were both evicted. However, she made a major U-turn outside the house and decided she'd prefer to stay single, leading a heartbroken Ricci to insist, "She led me up the garden path."
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He continued, “I know it’s part of what we do, but you do wish you did get a bit of privacy. People seem to think that because this is the world we live in that they can speak for us or judge us and that’s when it becomes a little bit difficult.
“We’re still very good friends. I have a lot of time for Megan. We never ever put a label on it and we still haven’t…”
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But although James and Megan remain on good terms, fans shouldn’t hold out too much hope for more romance between them as Lockie admitted he’s not looking for a relationship at the moment.
“I’m not looking to get into a relationship any time soon,” he told us.
“I want to focus on myself and my career. I’m not looking to jump back into another long term relationship any time soon.”
Celebrity Ex on the Beach starts on MTV at 10pm on Tuesday 15 February.