EASTENDERS star Debbie Arnold has revealed she’s found love at the age of 70.
The actress, who played April Branning in the BBC soap between 1995 to 1996, shared a rare insight into her love life.
TV star Debbie admitted she’s bagged herself a new man, who is nine years her junior, after meeting him six months ago at a funeral.
Debbie was previously married to late actor John Challis, known for playing Boycie in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horse, from 1981 to 1985.
She then remarried actor and theatre director David Janson in 1989, but their marriage ended in 2002.
Speaking about her the new love interest in her life, Debbie appeared on Channel 5 daytime show Vanessa, where she joked she was a “cougar”.
During a segment about finding love in unexpected places, Debbie said: “I met this man and it was like boom, it was just unbelievable.”
Vanessa then asked the former soap star to elaborate on where she met her current partner, to which Debbie said: “At a funeral.
“I didn’t go to a funeral to pull anyone.
“It was actually at the wake of this funeral and I was sitting beside this man and I thought ‘he’s really nice‘.
“I didn’t think ‘oh wow’. Apparently I put my hand on his knee and said you’re too old for me at one point.
“We were just chatting, had a really nice time.
“We had a mutual friend and I said ‘is he single?’ and they said ‘yeah I think so’ and I said ‘if he is, then ask him to call me’.
“And they did a bit of snooping around and then he said ‘why does she want me to call?’ He didn’t get onto it at all.”
Vanessa then asked Debbie had lost her flirting game.
“I wasn’t flirting with him because I didn’t know if he was attached,” Debbie explained.
Debbie went on to say that she struck up a connection with the man in question at the funeral of her friend’s mother.
She continued: “When I started to talk to him, it was quite serious and quite funny, he was just really lovely.
“My friend sounded him out and he rang me and we met for a dog walk and he kissed me when I got out of my car and it was like ‘oh my goodness, I’m in big trouble here’. I could just tell from the first second.”
Debbie admitted said she was surprised because her new partner would not have been her type ordinarily.
She said: “First of all he hasn’t got any hair and I don’t like men with no hair or I thought I didn’t.
“So I would have definitely have swiped left. And he definitely wouldn’t have gone for me because I’m too old by six or seven years older.
“But we don’t go around with our age over our head.
“That’s why these dating apps are so ridiculous because they say you’re this age, you’re that age.
“But really, if you find someone attractive, you don’t care how old they are.”
Debbie admitted that age was just a number when it comes to love.
She told Best magazine “I’m like Prue Leith, she found the love of her life at 70, too. A bit like me. I’m a cougar, darling. He’s only 61!”
Debbie said she has “saved the best ’til last” and described him as “the love of my life”.
She added: “I just know he is the one. I’m an optimist. A glass half full person. If for any reason I’m wrong, well, hope springs eternal. My secret loves, no secret any more.”
Fans were full of praise for Debbie’s new romance, with one writing: “Good for her. Love always finds a way.”
A second posted: “Never look for love, love is always looking for you. Nice one Debbie.”
Another added: “So happy for you.”
Debbie is a well-known face in soap land, thanks to her many roles on TV.
She played Sylvie Hicks and Carole Evans on Coronation Street, Debbie Wilson in Emmerdale and Janice Bolton in Hollyoaks.
In 1981, she married Only Fools and Horses star John Challis but they divorced in 1985.
In 1989, she married the actor David Janson, best known for playing Ken Richardson in Get Some In!.
They have two children together, actress Ciara Janson, who played Nicole Owen in Hollyoaks, and a younger daughter named Talia.
Debbie and David divorced in 2002.
