Rylan Clark has revealed that he ignored concerns from his colleagues after making an impulsive decision to leave the UK following his separation from Dan Neal. The BBC Children in Need presenter turned off his phone and boarded a solo flight to Barcelona, where he used a false identity when meeting new people.
Spontaneous Getaway to Barcelona
Speaking on Alan Carr's Life's A Beach Podcast, Rylan recounted how he told his team, "Right, guys, I'm going away for 3 days." He said they "had a panic attack and were like, 'No, absolutely not. Not going anywhere on your own.' I said, 'I'm going', just turned the phone off and went."
The trip followed a breakdown in 2021 when his six-year marriage to Dan collapsed, leading Rylan to step back from TV and radio work for months while focusing on his mental wellbeing.
Pretending to Be 'Josh'
In Barcelona, Rylan stayed in a small hotel and passed the time by pretending to work on his iPad like a businessman. He struck up a conversation with a Canadian or American man whose flight had been delayed by two days. When asked his name, Rylan said, "Josh," and claimed to be a family lawyer, explaining, "I was going through my divorce."
Over the next two nights, he met up with the man and his friends, who praised him as "Josh, you're so lovely." Rylan admitted, "Don't ask me for legal f***ing ideas."
Caught Out by a Hen Party
The ruse ended on his last night when a group of British women celebrating a hen do recognised him. Rylan recalled, "All the new friends are in front of me calling me Josh and I just go... and they're like, 'are they, Josh, are they shouting at you?'" The women shouted, "Rylan, Rylan, I can't f***ing believe it. My husband to be looks like you."
He greeted them with a simple "Hi, girls," and they asked for a photo, leaving his new American and Canadian friends puzzled. Rylan said his new pals "did find it funny in the end, and they understood why I lied."
Following his divorce, Rylan is now dating Kennedy Bates, whom he began seeing last year. Children in Need airs from 7pm on Friday November 13 on BBC One and iPlayer.
