Soap star Gemma Oaten has revealed the tough battle she faced to rebuild her confidence after being dumped by TV star Nick Knowles.
The presenter called off their romance after receiving the news that their relationship had become public, as they were lying in bed together.
Former Emmerdale actress Gemma and DIY SOS host Nick dated last year, after meeting at a TV awards ceremony.
The dad-of-four was separated from his wife Jessica when he approached 32-year-old Gemma and called her “beautiful”.
Nick, 54, went on to invite Gemma for dinner and swept her off her feet with a romantic weekend in Edinburgh, where she poured her heart out to him.
But when pictures of the couple cuddling outside a restaurant emerged and a friend shared the news with Nick, Gemma says he turned cold and “dropped her like a tonne of bricks”.
And in an interview with The Mirror, Gemma admitted the rejection hit her self-esteem hard.
“I’ve learned to keep my guard up since meeting him,” she said.
“My friends tell me I always wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m too trusting. Now when I go on dates I don’t reveal as much about myself.
“From an upsetting ordeal I’ve learned a positive lesson.
“It was upsetting and hurtful, but it hasn’t put me off men. It’s been nearly six months, but my confidence is finally back. In a way I’m kind of grateful.”
After their split, Nick went back to his estranged wife Jessica, 29, and stood by her side as she battled cervical cancer.
Sadly the couple went on to split permanently in January of this year, but remain good friends for the sake of their son Eddie, aged two.