Caroline Flack has hinted she felt "powerful" dating Harry Styles.
The ‘Love Island’ presenter has had her fair share of heartbreak over the years but she has admitted she got over the pain quicker in her 30s – when she dated the former One Direction star – than when she was in her 20s.
Writing in a letter to her past lovers in Cosmopolitan magazine, she said: "Dear men of my thirties.
"I dated friends and I dated younger men and I dated men who were hopelessly inappropriate and it was all… fun. Dating as a thirtysomething woman felt more powerful than dating in my twenties – and all you guys made me see that.
"By your thirties, you’ve survived heartbreak, you’ve survived long, messy relationships, you’ve survived unrequited love and maddening love that leaves you tired and confused and willing to give it all up.
"Those are important things to have gone through and survived. Endings are different in your thirties, too. I remember calling time on one relationship and then seeing the woman he had chosen to settle down with instead of me.
"And here was the best bit: I didn’t feel sad or empty. I felt only happiness for them both. I looked at her and understood completely why they worked where we never could. That’s how break-ups in your thirties differ from break-ups in your twenties. The pain mellows very quickly."
The 38-year-old beauty also addressed her relationship with her "best mate" Olly Murs – who everyone thought she was secretly dating – and admitted, although she thought they were "perfect" for one another, feelings of love can’t be "forced."
She explained: "I mean literally everyone [thought we should be together]. Do you remember how we met and within minutes were laughing like old mates? Being with you was as easy as breathing.
"We both had the same fun outlook on life and we were always, always on the same page about pretty much everything. I don’t think we ever had a serious conversation about anything at all, except perhaps when we were talking about our love lives.
"Even our parents thought we were a great match. Did I wish we were together back then? No. But if we had had those feelings for one another, we would have been perfect together. The problem with love is that you can’t force feelings."
Caroline is now engaged to ‘The Apprentice’ star Andrew Brady following a whirlwind romance but she is adamant she knew instantly that he was the one for her.
She explained: "I’d been single for three years before I met you. And, to be honest, I wasn’t sure I had room in my life for anyone new.
"I wasn’t scared of being single on my 40th birthday in the same way I was on my 30th birthday. I was good at being by myself.
"I saw you on TV before we’d even met. I followed you on Instagram and you followed me back with the simple, emotionless line: Thanks for the support. (I now know, of course, it took you hours to come up with that!) It made me laugh so I gave you my number. A few days later, we met.
"People talk about meeting someone and feeling as though you’ve known them your whole life. That’s what it felt like when I met you. I’ll never forget seeing you walk into the restaurant – tall, with a smile 10 miles wide, not just for me but for everyone in there. Talking to you was effortless. There were no first-date nerves – just two people laughing and getting to know each other until the early hours. It was how all first dates should be.
"Two days later, you turned up at my door with a teddy bear from Harrods, just like my first crush all those years ago. And, well, you’ve never left.
"We laugh until we cry. I’ve never had that before – with anyone. Every other relationship I’ve had has only been about love, but with you it’s about friendship, too. It’s what I’ve been looking for. My life was complete before you came into it – a man doesn’t complete your life. But I wanted to make room in it for you. I look at you and I think, Yes, Andrew, you’re the one I’ve been waiting for."
Caroline Flack felt ‘powerful’ dating Harry Styles
