KYM Marsh is absolutely smitten with new boyfriend Samuel Thomas, with pals saying she has told them it’s the “real deal”
The 48-year-old star went public with her romance with 29-year-old Samuel this weekend, after love blossomed while working on 101 Dalmatians: The Musical together.
Already, the couple have made it clear they are completely infatuated, declaring their love for each other in separate Instagram posts and Kym even calling him her “soulmate”.
Friends have since said that Samuel has “put a smile” back on Kym’s face after the breakdown of her third marriage to Army Major Scott Ratcliff.
A source told The Mirror: “It started as a friendship but has quickly developed into something more. Kym is sure this relationship is the real deal and is telling anyone who will listen she is in love again.”
They added that after her split with Scott, she had “thrown herself into work”, shooting the new series of Waterloo Road while also doing a UK tour of 101 Dalmatians, where she plays the iconic villain Cruella de Vil.
In gushing posts, both Kym and Samuel posted pictures of them kissing, with Kym writing: “Met the most amazing man ever! Sometimes the most unexpected things happen at the most unexpected times. @samuelthomasuk I love you #beautiful #soulmate #loveyou.”
Samuel shared a black and white picture of Kym sitting on their lap as they kissed at a bar, captioning it: “I didn’t expect you, but here you are. I love you.”
“Ditto,” she responded in his comments. “The best things happen unexpectedly. Love you too.”
However, both were quickly forced to defend their romance after being targeted by cruel trolls.
After telling one doubter to “do one”, Kym later added in another response: “It’s time to grow up and get on with your own life instead of giving hate to someone else’s life.”
To another hater, she added: “I wonder what’s missing from your life that you need to comment on others. Sad really.”
Kym ended her relationship with Scott last year after a two-year marriage, after their work commitments forced them to spend too much time apart.
They first met in 2018.
Scott, 34, works the Parachute Regiment of the military, and combined with Kym’s hectic work schedule it meant the couple barely saw each other.
“It’s very sad for all involved, but they’ve decided it’s time to tell their family and friends and focus on the future — which means filing for divorce,” a source said at the time.
“They’re hoping to keep things as amicable as possible. Hopefully time will help to heal things.”
Kym was previously married to former EastEnders actor Jack Ryder. They wed in 2002 but divorced seven years later.
In 2012 she married Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas but they divorced in 2014. The pair shared two children – Polly, 13, and son Archie, who sadly died shortly after he was born in 2010.
