TV presenter Hayley Palmer has admitted she is seeking counseling for “betrayal trauma” following her split from The Chase star Mark Labbett aka The Beast.
The star, 42, told the My Dirty Laundry podcast she was having ‘nightmares and flashbacks’ weeks after Mark, 59, broke up with her during a three-minute phone call and left her blindsided.
Hayley said that despite Mark assuring her he was divorcing his wife Katie, 32, with whom he split in 2020 and has a son, he admitted he had changed his mind.
Hayley said: How he did it, his voice still haunts me to this day. I’m in counseling because someone said to me, “What you’ve had is betrayal trauma.”
“They said, ‘Did you have flashbacks, nightmares and anxiety?’ I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s what I’m getting’. It’s just a shock to your body to have it come out of nowhere.’
Hayley said her relationship with Mark was the happiest of her life – they have just celebrated their one-year anniversary – but his last words to her were “chilling”.
She said: “He called me and said, ‘How are you? Are you on GB News this Saturday?” I was like, “Yeah, I’m booked to go on, I can’t wait”… I was telling him everything.
“And then he said, “Right, it won’t be easy to tell you, but you were right. I don’t want a divorce.”
Hayley said she just hung up the phone and was so shocked she couldn’t feel her body and had a full blown panic attack.
She immediately blocked Mark on all channels and has not spoken to him since.
Unlike other relationships she had been in, she felt there were no warning signs and the shock of this left her with a low sense of self-worth.
She said: ‘I wish we could just sit down and just say, “Look, this is the situation. Can we work this out? Okay, let’s stick together. Let’s put out a statement together”‘.
“Because all this happened and I felt all alone. I felt really scared. I am a positive person but I couldn’t get out of bed because I felt so low.
“I thought counseling would be a weak thing and it would be embarrassing. But it really helps to know that others have gone through the same thing.
“And that I’m not alone and it’s good that I have nightmares, that happens.
“It was true love and I poured all my love into him. I put him on a pedestal – but now I have to pour that love into myself instead.”
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MailOnline has contacted spokesman Mark Labbett for comment.
Despite looking back on the relationship fondly, Hayley said she was really disappointed that Mark shared a post about feeling great so soon after their split.
The quizmaster took to social media to post a photo of himself rocking his slim figure while eating soup – which he has since deleted.
The English-born star then revealed that he was toasting the break-up and wrote: ‘Gym. Nutrition. It feels good to be a Beast.”
Hayley commented, “That really hurt me.” I will not lie. Everyone was sending it to me.
“I was just trying to get to the gym. Even so, it was a big step back. I tried to get my head around…
“And yes, it hit hard. I thought it was really insensitive and I don’t think he thought it through. I’m his biggest cheerleader when it comes to his healthy eating, but it just didn’t sit right with me.’
However, Hayley said that despite what happened, she has nothing but fond memories of her time with Mark and wants to help others in the same position.
She said: ‘I have nothing bad to say about him personally. He wasn’t the Beast. He was like a kind, nice gentleman to me, which is even worse. It’s just such a shame.
“I’ve worked so hard on myself but now I’m picking myself up every morning, doing my job to get through it.
“I still have moments where I just walk back into my apartment and burst into tears. I miss her so much. but every day it gets easier and every day I get stronger.
‘I’m so lucky to have so many beautiful people around me, honestly. They got me through it and I want to help people in the same position as me.”
Hayley also said that there is no chance of her and Mark getting back together even though she loves him.
She said: ‘I’ve always seen the good in people.
“But I don’t give second chances anyway. So once I heard those words from him, I would never forgive it because I’ve always been strong.”
And as for dating other people, Hayley said she’s had some lovely men slip into her DMs, so when she feels ready… ‘watch this space’.
She added: “I still have hope that there is someone out there for me. I may be deluded, but I do.’
To listen to the full interview, visit: My Dirty Laundry podcast.