The Chase's Mark Labbett 'too busy working' to do quizzes with new girlfriend

Mark Labbett says he[s 'too busy working' to sit down and do quizzes with his new girlfriend.

In 2020, The Chase star split from his ex-wife Katie after seven years together, but it looks like he's moved on.

Labbett and TV presenter Hayley Palmer are said to have met through work, and they've gotten very close by the sounds of things.

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A source who claimed to know the couple told the Mirror last week that their friendship had 'developed into something more'.

"It is very early days but Mark and Hayley are having a really good time together," the insider revealed.

"They have been friends for some time and recently things developed into something more."

But now, the Chaser has been put on the spot about his reported romance with the 41-year-old presenter, who he recently enjoyed a nice trip to the beach with.

When asked if they enjoy doing quizzes together, the Beast avoided talking about Palmer, but said he struggles to find the time between work commitments and looking after his six-year-old son, Lawrence.

"I’m on the road so much, plus the little matter of a six-year-old boy that I co-parent with, so I try to spend as much time as I can with him," he said.

"I’m going out to film in America next month, and I’m already planning what I’m doing in July and August with Katie to see what weeks work."

Adding: "Having said that, I have just been studying NBA basketball because I’m going out to America I want them going, 'For a Brit he knows about this stuff’, plus I used to play basketball being 6ft 6, 6ft 7, you’d expect I play basketball."

Speaking last year about his split from Katie, who also happens to be his second cousin, Labbett said the 27-year age gap between them, Covid-19 lockdowns and an open marriage eventually took its toll.

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He said: "I’m single now. We are separated but we get on really well, we co-parent.

"I promised to look after her and I promised to look after my kid."

The pair first met via Facebook in 2010 - with Katie claiming at the time that she had no idea Mark was a TV star.

"I had never heard of Mark, or watched The Chase, but my gran mentioned him so I was intrigued," she said.

Not long prior to their split, Labbett addressed the fact that they were second cousins during an appearance on Loose Women, saying: "It wasn't something we were aware of at the time - it was one of those things that happened.

"I had been a single man for a long while so I was getting used to the idea of being on my own. Especially as a bachelor, we can get pretty selfish, you get used to doing what you want to do all of the time."