Ulrika Jonsson has staunchly defended Kym Marsh amid criticism of her 19-year age gap with her new boyfriend. The former Gladiators star has stepped up to support the 48-year-old ex- Coronation Street actress who faced backlash for her relationship with 29-year-old vocalist and coach, Samuel Thomas, following her divorce from Scott Ratcliff last year. It comes after Kym told her fans she had found her "soulmate" after meeting Samuel while they were both appearing in a theatre production of 101 Dalmatians.
Addressing the criticisms in her column for The Sun newspaper, Ulrika penned: "Lest we forget, trolls rarely, if ever, say things from a place of love. These comments came from a place of discomfort, jealousy and with the sole aim of shaming." The 56-year-old TV personality acknowledged her own three marriages and having kids "by different fathers", confessing she is too not giving up on the idea of love.
She expressed: "With three marriages under her belt and children by different fathers, how very dare she fall in love again with someone she is already calling her 'soul mate'? This kind of behaviour makes people feel deeply uncomfortable. It doesn't sit well with them. In fact, I'm sure many would prefer her to be miserable and broken-hearted until the end of time.
" "Here she is in all her amorous glory, showing the world her quest for love has, once more, succeeded. I'm thrilled for her." Ulrika pointed out that times are different now, people are actually "living longer".
