KYM Marsh is said to be “furious over the backlash” she has received over her new toyboy boyfriend.
The actress, 48, found love with 29-year-old Samuel Thomas while working on 101 Dalmatians: The Musical together.
Kym went public with her romance last weekend, declaring their love for each other in separate Instagram posts and Kym even calling him her “soulmate”.
But the 19 year age gap quickly raised eyebrows and divided fans.
Despite the backlash, a source has claimed that Kym is not paying any attention to the negative trolls.
“They’re not taking any notice of the backlash – they’ve had so much positivity, too. And they’re just excited to see what happens,” they told OK! magazine.
While close friends and family are said to be overjoyed for the happy couple.
They added: “It’s very early days in their relationship.
“They’re really enjoying being together but both of them want to take things slowly and see how their relationship develops.
“They’re both really happy and their family and friends are really happy for them, too.”
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.
In gushing posts, at the weekend, both Kym and Samuel posted pictures of them kissing.
Kym sweetly wrote: “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.
He captioned 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.
