Kate Thornton’s new mystery man is an army officer nine years her junior, MailOnline can reveal.
The Greatest Hits Radio presenter, 51, is dating André Zwijnen, 42, and took the father-of-two as a guest to see ABBA Voyage in east London on Saturday night, introducing him to the likes of Rylan Clark and his co-star Jenny. Powell.
After leaving the concert, where the couple enjoyed complimentary food and drinks at the venue’s VIP Oceanbird Lounge, they were seen holding hands and getting into a taxi together.
The former X Factor presenter has been getting to know André following his split from wife Jenny Zwijnen, 42, who is mother to his 19-year-old twins.
As a unit welfare officer with three rifles and having served in the British Army, André is often photographed on social media dressed in uniform, describing himself as a “keen sportsman” and specializing in boxing, cycling and shooting.
Kate Thornton’s new mystery man is an army officer nine years her junior, MailOnline can reveal
The Greatest Hits Radio presenter is dating André Zwijnen and took the father-of-two as a guest to see ABBA Voyage in east London on Saturday night.
The former X Factor presenter has been getting to know André following his split from his wife Jenny Zwijnen (pictured), who is the mother of his 19-year-old twins.
A source told MailOnline: ‘Kate and André have been on three or four dates and love spending time together.
“André separated from his wife years ago, so there has been no overlap when it comes to his relationship with Kate.
“They are from very different worlds, André, an army officer, and Kate, the world of show business and television, but they have bonded over being parents and have fun getting to know each other.”
Kate is a mother-of-one and shares her son Ben, 15, with ex-fiancé Darren Emerson, 52, whom she split from in 2011.
They were together for seven years before ending their engagement, and the presenter kept the reasons for their separation private.
She was the first presenter of The X Factor when the ITV show launched in 2004, but after two years Simon Cowell replaced her with Dermot O’Leary.
The radio star previously described her dismissal from the show as “humiliating”, saying she felt “hurt” after Simon was not “frank” with her.
In 2020, Kate said: “They didn’t renew my contract because they said they would and by them I mean Simon.”
Kate is a mother of one and shares her son Ben with her ex-fiancé Darren Emerson, whom she split from in 2011.
After leaving the concert, where the couple enjoyed complimentary food and drinks at the venue’s VIP Oceanbird Lounge, they were seen holding hands and getting into a taxi together.
Kate’s new romance with the military man André, originally from Cheshire, comes after the end of his marriage to his wife Jenny.
It was on the news at ten. He was embarrassing, humiliating and kind of burned for a moment. It hurt me more that someone he considered a friend had not been honest with me.”
In 2016, Kate vowed she would “never speak to Simon again” after feeling like he fired her to make headlines.
She began her career as a showbiz journalist, writing for the Sunday Times and Marie Claire, before reporting on news events such as the death of Princess Diana.
Kate established herself as a television presenter, presenting ITV’s Loose Women between 2009 and 2011 and occasionally presenting This Morning.
MailOnline has contacted Kate’s representative for comment.