EL OF A MISTAKE I cheated on Ellie Leach & broke her heart – I want her in my life, says Strictly star’s ex after Bobby Brazier romance
STRICTLY winner Ellie Leach’s ex has told of his regret at breaking her heart — with a drunken snog in a nightclub.
Reagan Pettman, 22, said: “I hurt her and broke her heart. I’m not proud of it.”
Reagan says he’s happy if she has moved on with co-star Bobby Brazier — but still wants to win her back despite his betrayal.
He agonised for months before confessing to Ellie, 22, that he cheated on her.
He told The Sun on Sunday: “It sounds cliché but I was really drunk and it all happened at once.
“I knew what I had done was wrong and instantly regretted it.
“I want to rebuild the trust again and for her to be back in my life.
“But if she’s happy with Bobby, then I am happy for her. But I really miss her.”
Ellie and Reagan, both 22, dated for five years. They met on an acting course at The Manchester College and went on their first date in July 2017, aged 16.
The relationship blossomed as Ellie shone as Coronation Street’s Faye Windass.
Her character shocked the nation by falling pregnant aged 12 and later had a daughter.
But last March — soon after Corrie bosses axed her role — Ellie was heartbroken when Reagan confessed that he had cheated on her four months earlier.
He had been on a bar crawl in hometown Preston in November 2022 and said: “I was chatting with the girl on the dancefloor then all of a sudden we kissed.
“I can’t remember what she looked like. I didn’t know who she was and I instantly just felt horrible.
“I couldn’t even remember what I thought or felt at that moment.
“My friends knew how I felt straightaway so they were like, ‘Let’s just go’.
“They knew they didn’t have to say anything to me because I already knew.”
Reagan waited until March before confessing to Ellie in his kitchen.
He said: “I tried to forget about it but couldn’t. I was going to tell her but it was just finding the time and it just passed and passed.”
He said: “I came clean because it got to a point where Ellie deserved to know out of respect and it was not fair on me not telling her.
“I was thinking I could speak to her and we could work it out. I was prepared for what happened and then she decided that was it, the trust had gone.
“I think it hurt her more because that was when she left Corrie as well so it was all at once for her.”
He added: “It was a mistake and I was naive. I had been with her for five years but as I went into adulthood and played rugby I started going out.
“I made the mistake of being influenced. I hurt her and I am not proud of it. I broke her heart.”
The Sun told last week how Ellie and Bobby — EastEnders’ Freddie Slater — have been on secret dates and were spotted holding hands on the Strictly tour bus.
They first flirted at the tour’s opening night bash at Birmingham’s Malmaison hotel last Friday, partying until almost 3am.
Previously, Ellie was said to have grown close to pro partner Vito but they dismissed the rumours.
After finding out from The Sun that Ellie has moved on with Bobby, Reagan said: “It was only a couple of months ago they were saying the same about Vito so I took it with a pinch of salt.
“But if that is the case and she is happy then that is all I would want.
“Whatever she does, as long as she is happy, then I can’t say or do anything about that.
“I am not jealous or angry. I just hope she is happy.”
Asked how he would feel if Ellie and Bobby made their romance official, he said: “It wouldn’t be the nicest thing in the world but, at the same time, I would be happy that she feels like she has found herself again.”
Despite breaking up in March, Ellie spent December 27 playing Monopoly with Reagan and his family — two weeks after winning Strictly.
Reagan said: “She got my mum a present and my mum got her some pyjamas.”
He added: “It felt normal. There was no awkwardness and it didn’t feel like we had been apart for so long, it felt like five minutes.
“Just because something happens after five years you can’t just switch off your feelings.”
Reagan said they also spoke on the phone after Ellie returned to her family home 35 minutes away in Greater Manchester.
He added: “I said that if she does want to try again or go on a date I would be happy for that.
“She said at the current time it was not a priority and she didn’t want any unnecessary distractions and all her time and energy was on Strictly so I was supportive.
“It was like, ‘Just because something like this has happened and what I have done is wrong, it doesn’t change that we have lots in common.
“With healing there might be a time to come back together but that is in the future’.”
Reagan sent Ellie pink roses when she was confirmed for Strictly.
He voted for her the maximum three times every week.
And when she won he texted: “Well done, you deserve it. I am so proud of you.”
Reagan added: “She doesn’t see how talented she is. I always knew she’d do well. Whenever we went out together she loved to dance.”
Despite Ellie growing close to Bobby, Reagan revealed that he is not ready to start dating again.
He added of their split: “It is a blessing and a curse because I have lost the person who I thought I was going to spend forever with.
“But you have got to learn lessons in life.. and it might be one of the hardest I have had to learn.”
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