Nick Knowles ‘is dating mother-of-two Katie Dadzie after meeting her at his children’s playgroup’

396

View
comments

Nick Knowles is reportedly dating a mother-of-two, who is 27 years his junior. 

The DIY SOS presenter, 58, who split from his wife Jessica Rose Moor in 2016, is reportedly in the ‘early days’ of a romance with Katie Dadzie, 31, after meeting her at his children’s playgroup.

It comes after Nick revealed in February 2020 that he was single again after splitting from his girlfriend, PR guru Emily Hallinan, 27, insisting at the time it ‘wasn’t the end of the world’ and announcing the news on Valentine’s Day. 

Having made something of a reputation for himself with his love of younger ladies, Nick was also romantically involved with TOWIE star and stuntwoman Pascal Craymer, 34, back in 2018. 

According to The Sun, Nick and Katie made their public debut as a couple at a restaurant in Bath last week, after being friends for several years.

The presenter allegedly met his new girlfriend at a playgroup attended by his youngest son Eddie, seven. A source said: ‘Nick and Katie have known each other for a couple of years, but it’s always been platonic.

‘They actually met through their youngest offspring and went on a few playdates as pals, before romance blossomed. Katie is a beautiful woman, fiercely independent and just Nick’s type.

‘They’ve met one another’s friends and, although it’s early days, everyone is hopeful this might be for keeps.’

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Nick Knowles for comment. 

In February 2020 Nick confirmed that he was single again following his split from girlfriend Emily.

He wrote on Instagram: ‘Happy Valentine’s. And if you’re single like me don’t worry, we don’t have to join in everything every year. I missed national prune day too. Because it’s not the end of the world to be single for a while.’

The pair reportedly began dating in 2019, after exchanging a series of messages about a work opportunity on Twitter, with Nick telling Emily to get in touch.

They had been spotted together several times since, once in London’s West End where they went to see musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, days after Nick was pictured kissing a mystery blonde in the back of a black cab.

A source told The Sun at the time that the pair looked cosy during the West End show, saying: ‘They arrived pretty incognito but were definitely on a date inside.

‘She was cosying up to him during the show and they shared a couple of tender moments during the emotional parts.’ The source added: ‘It didn’t appear to be a serious relationship but it’s clear that they were into each other.’

Prior to his romance with Emily, he was reported to have dated Pascal. 

Things turned sour however, when model Pascal claimed she blocked Nick after he reportedly bragged about his ‘revolving’ bed’ and ‘dating younger women’.

She alleged that the twice-married DIY SOS host was ‘desperate to get his leg over’ when they went on a few of lavish dates last year.

She also claimed ‘forward’ Nick tried to kiss her before the starters during a £600 meal and embarrassed her with his ‘dad dancing’ in a nightclub.

Nick and Jessica’s romance and marriage was also widely publicised, with emphasis on their age gap.

Nick began dating Jessica in 2009 before they tied the knot in 2012 and welcomed their son Eddie in 2014. They split in 2016 – initially amicably, as he supported her through her battle with cervical cancer. 

Despite a bitter divorce battle surrounding the custody of their then three-year-old son Eddie, the pair are now back on good terms with one another, with Nick recently admitting he still cared about his former wife.

Speaking to The Mirror in 2018 Nick said: ‘It took me a while to figure stuff out. I’m really proud of the fact that Jess and I are really good.

‘She’s a great mother. Coming out of a marriage is hard, so I just want to make sure it stays respectful. I really care about my ex. She’s got a new chap and I’m really pleased. They seem really happy.’

It was revealed at the time that Jessica asked for £48,000 a year from him in light of their bitter divorce battle.

According to The Sun, Jessica who was receiving £4,000 a month as part of their settlement, is demanding an extra £2,000 a month in order to fund their three-year-old son Eddie’s education.

‘Nick is distraught that Jessica has made these claims. She already gets £4,000 a month from him and he’s funded her life for years,’ a source told the publication.

It came after Jessica posted an ‘open letter about my divorce’ in which she alleged ‘years of emotional cruelty, physical abuse’ by her husband as well as reportedly withdrawing their son Eddie from private education.

However, sources close to the DIY SOS presenter denied the allegations – saying he ‘only wants the best for his son’.

In a statement on the micro-blogging site, she denounced his denials of ‘cruelty’ and continued to suggest that he has withdrawn his financial support for their son.

In the equally emotional letter captioned: ‘In response’, Jessica responded to Nick’s apparent shock at the ‘horrendous’ allegations made, saying:

‘Nick may be intelligent but he is not smart. He is now denying that he withdrew his promise to send Eddie to private school but it was sent by his solicitor to mine.

‘He as also denied years of cruelty but I do have diaries and photographic proof’.

Jessica then alleged that the presenter ‘abandoned’ her with young son Eddie in Spain for a ‘string of girlfriends’, and that she wants Nick to ‘keep his promises’ or she may publish ‘witness statements’ that could confirm her allegations.

Following the couple’s split, Jessica entered a new relationship with RAF engineer William Babbage. 

Elsewhere, Nick was rumoured to be in trouble with BBC bosses after he appeared in a Shreddies commercial, threatening his 22-year tenure on DIY SOS.

But, despite reportedly being in breach of strict advertising rules set by BBC bosses, the corporation appears to have made a U-turn on their stance.

Nick told The Sun: ‘I have always said that DIY SOS is more than just a presenting job for me, it’s part of me. It has my heart and working for the BBC for over 22 years is something I have never taken for granted.

‘I will continue filming new episodes of DIY SOS over the coming months and will be back on your screens with the purple shirts next year.’

During crunch Zoom meetings in April, Nick was told by corporation bosses that he would have to get the ad taken off air or quit the show that helped launched his career.

However the presenter, who has dropped off the BBC’s top earners list in recent years and has recently signed up for a new DIY show on Channel 5, was still displaying the 30-second advert at the top of his personal website.

MailOnline understood at the time that the issue is the similarity between Knowles’ character in the advert and his role as the presenter of DIY SOS – and whether it breaches a rule banning stars from replicating their BBC roles in commercials.

The broadcaster’s strict rules state that any promotions involving on-screen talent should not ‘imitate, suggest a reference or connection to or ‘pass off’ BBC content’.