Melanie Sykes recalls the ‘devastating’ moment she found out that ex Matt Goss had cheated on her

Melanie Sykes has opened up about her famous five-year romance with Matt Goss, recalling the heartbreaking moment she found out about his infidelity.

The presenter, 52, dated the Bros singer from 1992 to 1997, before their relationship derailed due to the latter’s unfaithful escapades.

In her new autobiography Illuminated: Autism & All The Things I’ve Left Unsaid, the star writes about her very public love life over the years.

In one clip, she describes “going to the bathroom and throwing up” before discussing her relationship with Matt.

“I was dumbfounded, devastated and totally overwhelmed,” she writes of the star’s cheating scandal.

Young love: The presenter, 52, dated the Bros singer from 1992 to 1997 when they were in their early twenties, before their relationship derailed due to the latter’s unfaithful escapades (pictured in 1992)

Melanie and Matt began their long-term relationship after meeting on a blind date, but they kept things very amicable after they split in 1997.

The star, who is in her early 20s, recalls wanting to be “free and spontaneous” while her significant other focused on his career.

She explains, “I wanted to laugh and have spontaneous sex and be free, but our lives weren’t like that. Matt was focused on his career and I just wanted to have a good relationship.”

Hailing from Greater Manchester, the star even moved to the US with Matt when he rose to fame at the peak of his young career.

But things came to a heartbreaking end when Melanie shared how she found out about her boyfriend’s unfaithful behavior in her new book.

After noticing several numbers on his phone bill, the star explains how her suspicions came to a head when another woman claimed to be Matt’s girlfriend.

Describing herself as “devastated” at the time, she writes, “I was so worried that he would be jealous of me, I couldn’t believe that he had been, it seemed, profusely unfaithful all these years.” I went to the bathroom and threw up.’

Childhood: Dating in their early twenties, the star recalls wanting to be ‘free and spontaneous’ while her significant other focused on his career

She shares: I couldn’t believe that all these years he had been, it seemed, profusely infidelity. I went to the bathroom and vomited’

Friendly: Despite the heartbreak, they’ve remained close ever since – Matt even called Melanie his ‘first true love’ while addressing the audience at a concert in 2017

Matt is said to have even asked for Melanie’s hand to elicit forgiveness, with the gesture not enough to repair their damage.

Despite the heartbreak, they’ve remained close ever since – Matt even called Melanie his “first true love” while addressing the audience at a concert in 2017.

While dedicating a song to her at the time, he said, “It didn’t work out. We both moved on and found other loves – been in and out of love. But we remained best friends. So this is for you…”

Melanie next married actor Daniel Caltagirone, before they separated and she married Jack Cockings. While she was most recently in a relationship with an Italian gondolier named Riccardo Simionata who was more than 25 years her junior before their reported split.

In addition to her love life and life with autism, Melanie’s new book also describes her “gruesome” experiences in the TV industry.

The star – who helmed shows like Today with Des and Mel and The Big Breakfast after rising to fame in the ’90s – has told how after a series of sexist and scary incidents – including one where a colleague stared at her skirt during filming – she collapsed.

Just before the breakdown, she was diagnosed with autism and finally decided to retire from mainstream TV after appearing on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021.

Recent romance: Melanie was last known to be dating an Italian gondolier named Riccardo Simionata, who was more than 25 years her junior, before their reported split

Speaking to The Guardian about her autobiography, she said: ‘I will no longer be tap dancing for companies that don’t care about my well-being. Mainstream TV just doesn’t interest me… I’m out of that game.’

In her book, she revealed a particularly disturbing story when she took part in a New Year’s Eve special, but while she was filming, a colleague lay on the floor staring up at her skirt.

She related the incident: “He thought it was funny. I was shocked and screamed. He got up and I threw a drink over him. It’s all caught on camera.’

She later realized when the show aired that it was edited so that they didn’t use the footage of him, just the part where she “lost it” so she looked “crazy.”