TOWIE Star Lydia Bright Confirms Relationship with Italian Chef Francesco

Lydia Bright, known for her role in the reality series The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE), has publicly confirmed her relationship with Italian chef Francesco, after a year of secretly dating. The 35-year-old star announced that Francesco is moving in with her.

Bright shared details of their romance on Instagram, marking their first anniversary. She explained her decision to keep the relationship private, stating a desire to protect its development before introducing Francesco to her life, which also includes her daughter, Loretta.

"A whole year of us," Bright wrote on Instagram. "I want to apologise for keeping such a big part of my life private for so long. So many of you have followed me for years, through so many different chapters. But I really felt the need to protect something that was still growing and when the time came to introduce the two people I love most, I wanted to give their relationship time to grow before sharing ours to you."

She recounted their first date, which lasted five hours, and her immediate impression of him. "I tried so hard not to get carried away, but after throwing myself into dating in 2025 and waiting for that feeling, I knew this was special. So second date I text Debs saying ‘I have met my husband’."

Bright described the initial stages of their relationship as slow due to their busy schedules, including Francesco's career, her own, and her responsibilities as a mother. However, she noted that their time together became increasingly precious, leading to romantic adventures and a deepening connection.

The reality star also touched upon integrating Francesco into her life with Loretta, highlighting his positive impact. "Despite not spending lots of time around children he just got it, patient, loving, playful, all of this made me fall in love with him even more."

Bright reflected on her experience as a single mother, stating it was a period of happiness and strength. She expressed that while she thrived on her own, she recognized the possibility of finding love again with someone who was exceptionally special, which she believes Francesco to be.

This public announcement follows news of her ex-boyfriend Ben Davies moving on with singer Jesy Nelson. Bright confirmed her split from Davies in January 2025, after they began dating in 2024. Davies and Nelson reportedly began following each other on Instagram over the summer, with Nelson sharing a subsequent photograph.

Nelson's personal life has also seen recent developments, including her split from the father of her twin daughters, Zion Foster. Their daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 in January 2026, a condition documented in the Amazon Prime series 'Jesy Nelson: Life Changing'. Foster had previously spoken about his struggles in coping with the diagnosis.