Steps icon Ian ‘H’ Watkins has found love again

Steps star Ian ‘H’ Watkins has found love again three years after splitting from his husband.

Ian, 44, is now in a relationship with former dancer turned tour manager, Tom Hope.

A friend told The Sun: ‘H is smitten and it’s lovely for everyone to see. He had been single for almost three years and was totally focused on his twin boys and his work. 

‘His friends and family have met Tom but they’ve kept their romance low-key and decided not to plaster it all over Instagram.

‘He is the happiest he has been in a long time and everyone is saying he’s got that old smile back.’

Ian had an acrimonious split from his husband Craig Ryder in 2017, after a decade together. 

Sadly the split came just one year after the couple had twin sons, Macsen and Cybi, four, via a surrogate.  

Ian was been branded a ‘bully’ by his ex-partner Craig, as the pair went through a bitter court battle over a Range Rover.

In January 2019, Ian sued his former flame over the vehicle, and also claimed he had loaned Craig £15,000 to purchase the car.

Craig reportedly insists the money was a gift, as he labelled Ian a ‘financial bully’ who had ‘deleted him’ from his life.

Speaking at the City of London County Court to Judge Edward Bailey, Craig said: ‘I would never take a loan. We had been together for many years and we have children together. 

‘I wouldn’t have accepted a loan and I needed a car. Mr Watkins has completely played the financial card for the last two years.

‘If you had said to me five years ago that this is where I would be now, I would never have believed you.’

Ian and Craig welcomed their twin sons in March 2016, but split in late 2017 after being together for ten years.

They first began sharing their wishes to start a family back in 2011, but suffered a heart-breaking loss in 2012 when their first surrogate miscarried.

In December 2015, they revealed their second shot at parenthood when they shared the news with fans in an uplifting animated video.