Stephen Mulhern, the presenter known for hosting Deal or No Deal, Catchphrase and In For A Penny, keeps his love life largely private. The 49-year-old magician, who began performing at age 11 and was a regular at Butlins, has been linked to two well-known TV figures over the years.
Three-year romance with EastEnders star
Mulhern dated Emma Barton, who plays Honey Mitchell in EastEnders, for three years from 2008. The pair reportedly met during a pantomime production of Snow White, where Barton starred as the titular character and Mulhern played Muddles. They parted ways amicably in 2011, with Mulhern later describing the relationship as reaching a "natural end".
Barton joined the BBC One drama in 2005 and became known as Billy Mitchell's love interest. Her storylines have included an eating disorder struggle and an affair with younger man Jay Brown, played by Jamie Borthwick.
Josie Gibson rumours
Two years ago, rumours emerged that Mulhern was dating This Morning favourite Josie Gibson. The pair were photographed apparently holding hands during an episode of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. Gibson fuelled the speculation when she told the Daily Mail: "I'm in love with Stephen Mulhern. There you go. But story of my life, I don't think he loves me."
She later insisted it was a joke, telling OK! magazine: "He's so lovely. We are really good friends, I really adore him, but there's no romance in the air. But he's so nice."
Career and personal life
Mulhern, a close friend of Ant and Dec, began his TV career as a children's presenter before moving into mainstream presenting. He recently appeared in ITV's Accidental Tourist, which saw him travel to South Korea to face his phobias. In a 2014 interview with The Mirror, he discussed not having a partner and wanting children, while noting the difficulty of finding romance with a busy work schedule.
Deal or No Deal: Celebrity Special airs on ITV1 on Saturday August 22 at 6pm.
