ITV Deal or No Deal Stephen Mulhern’s EastEnders star ex-girlfriend and excuse for dating drought
Deal or No Deal has been revived with presenter Stephen Mulhern replacing Noel Edmonds as new the face of the ITV1 game show - but what do we know about his love life?
Deal or No Deal is back but this time with a new prize pot and new presenter – Stephen Mulhern.
The reboot will still see contestants try to open 22 red boxes and take on the infamous Banker in a bid to claim life-changing money, with a top prize of £100,000. Seven years after the much-loved show was axed from Channel 4, now on ITV1, Stephen, 46, has had tough shoes to fill in replacing Noel Edmonds, who excelled at bringing tension and theatre to the programme.
“Deal Or No Deal was not only one of my favourite shows, it was my dad’s favourite show – when I told him I was doing it, it was like he’d won the lottery,” Stephen said. He also revealed Noel had confronted him about taking on the role during a private party, where he dressed up as Gandalf.
Stephen met Emma during a panto production (
Getty Images,)
However they split after two years together (
Getty Images)
“He said: ‘I have one question: Deal or no deal?’ He takes off his mask and it’s Noel Edmonds! He goes: ‘I haven’t done one of these in 20 years, but I finally ‘Gotcha’ [the name of Noel’s House Party pranks]. I had 10 glorious years with Deal Or No Deal and I think you will too.”
Despite his mega-fame in the UK, not much is known about Stephen’s personal life and love life. But his co-star romance with EastEnders star Emma Barton, who plays Honey Mitchell, has been well-documented.
Stephen and Emma, 46 first met after locking eyes on the set of a pantomime production of Snow White in 2008. Emma played Snow White while Stephen starred as her trusted best friend Muddles.
It’s understood the pair formed a close bond shortly after working together. Like most celebrity couples, they kept their relationship out of the limelight but mutually decided to part ways in 2011.
The Britain’s Got More Talent host revealed the romance had come to a “natural end” and that he was still eager to find ‘the one’, and blamed his busy work schedule for getting in the way. In an interview with Celebs Now in 2018, he said: “Last time I went on a date was about four years ago. That makes me sound really sad! I need a life. I need to stop working so much.”
