Melanie Sykes, 50, flashes her abs in a crop top for yoga session as she brushes off ‘breaking lockdown rules’ after visiting Italian lover, 23, in Venice
She came under fire earlier this week after she failed to quarantine after visiting Venice to visit her gondolier toyboy, Riccardo Simionato, 23.
But Melanie Sykes brushed off the drama as she took to Instagram on Saturday to show off her gym-honed physique.
Posing in a peach ribbed crop top, the TV presenter, 50, displayed her toned abs and ample cleavage as she told her followers she had got up early to do a yoga session.
Wow: Mel Sykes showed off her toned abs in a crop top on Instagram on Saturday as she brushed off the backlash she received for flying to Venice to visit her boyfriend in lockdown
Melanie teamed the look with black leggings and went make-up free for the selfie.
She wrote: ‘Morning strumps. Just done a Shakti flow online with @adrienelouise I never tire of this hour practice as it combines having a workout, getting in deep stretches and more importantly for me mindful breathing. Get on it my yogi friends and get on it if you aren’t a yogi or indeed a friend.’
A spot of ‘mindful breathing’ was no doubt needed for Melanie after the backlash of her recent Venice trip.
Yoga session: A spot of ‘mindful breathing’ was no doubt needed for Melanie after the backlash of her recent Venice trip
The star flouted strict COVID-19 rules by flying to Italy to see her toyboy lover and not quarantining on her return to London.
Melanie was snapped in Venice visiting gondolier Riccardo on November 21, before flying home to the UK and parading around London on November 24.
Melanie shared photos of herself at The May Fair Hotel, inside on a bed, and strutting around on the street.
The presenter claimed to be filming at the posh venue, with ITN later apologising for not adhering to covid-19 protocols.
Four days apart: The star flouted strict COVID-19 rules by flying to Italy to see her toyboy lover and not quarantining on her return to London
What pandemic? ITN productions later apologised for filming with the presenter without adhering to covid-19 protocols
‘Filming with Melanie Sykes was mistakenly conducted without taking into account the covid protocols necessary after travel,’ a spokesperson said in a statement.
‘There was no deliberate attempt to break any rules. We apologise for the error and have reminded our teams of all covid protocols.’
With England in its last week of a second lockdown, only essential travel is permitted, and citizens are being told to stay at home.
Those that must travel – including British nationals – then have to self-isolate for a strict 14-day period.
Melanie and the gondolier, who is 27 years her junior, first enjoyed a six-day romance in Venice in October, after she paid him £72 for a half hour’s ride on his gondola.
She shared glimpses of her romantic getaway with Riccardo to Instagram last week, with the couple recently enjoying a day out in Lake Garda.
Shrewd: She later posted some evening snaps of her views across Venice with one follower asking – ‘If you were there a week ago, how come you’re not self isolating?