Rylan Clark was seen publicly enjoying time with his boyfriend, Kennedy Bates, and his mother Linda at Radio 2 In The Park in Essex on Saturday, continuing a summer of high-profile outings since announcing the relationship.
The This Morning presenter, 36, appeared relaxed and affectionate as he spent the day in the festival VIP area with Bates, 47, who works at and helps run the Billy Bates & Sons funfair in Leicestershire. Witnesses said the couple were drinking together in the sun and socialising with friends while Clark’s mother sat nearby.
Clark first publicly revealed he was in a new relationship during an interview on his How To Be In Love podcast with Louis Theroux, which has chronicled aspects of the presenter’s personal life. In the conversation, Clark said he had been "blatant" about dating, going on several public dates even as he tried to keep aspects of his private life out of the spotlight. "At this time I'm very happy. Recently I have gotten into a relationship and it's great and it feels very different to anything I've had before," he told Theroux. He added that the new partner was the first man he had introduced to his family in four years.
On his BBC Radio 2 show last week Clark confirmed he was seeing someone after playing a clip from the podcast. Co-host Lottie Uttley said colleagues had met his partner and described him as "lovely." Clark said he felt "happy" and "very content" in the relationship and joked that revealing the romance might end speculation linking him romantically with friends.
Clark has publicly discussed future family plans with Bates. During the podcast Theroux asked whether Clark had thought about children, to which Clark replied, "Yeah I want kids. He wants kids," saying the couple had discussed the subject.
Clark was previously married to Dan (surname not provided on-air) for six years; the couple divorced in 2021 after Clark admitted to having an affair. Since then Clark has documented his dating life through media appearances and the podcast, exploring the challenges of finding a long-term partner in the public eye.
Sources close to Clark told British tabloids the presenter and Bates have been "inseparable" over the summer, attending concerts and festivals together. Bates has been active in promoting his family’s fair and appears on social media in connection with Billy Bates & Sons.
Saturday’s sighting at Radio 2 In The Park marks another public moment for the couple since Clark went public with the relationship, and underscores Clark’s recent approach of being open about his private life after years of keeping personal relationships more discreet.