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Emily Atack officially bid goodbye to her single days over the weekend as she tied the knot with Dr Alistair Garner.
The actress, 36, has been candid about her romance woes over the years, often finding herself unlucky in love, struggling with 'miserable' bouts of loneliness, and comparing herself to antiheroine Bridget Jones.
Since soaring to fame playing Charlotte 'Big Jugs' Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners, Emily quickly became a lads' mags favourite and the object of desire of millions of men across the country.
Yet ironically, despite being billed as the woman of many men's dreams, Emily struggled to find lasting connections as she navigated the tricky modern dating landscape.
Even more ironically, as it turns out, her Mr Right ended up being there all along – with Emily eventually settling down with Dr Alistair, whom she's known since childhood because the pair are stepcousins who were raised closely together.
But famously, the course of true love never does run smoothly, so how did Emily and Alistair get here?
Emily Atack officially bid goodbye to her single days over the weekend as she tied the knot with Alistair Garner. But the course of true love never does run smoothly, so how did they get here?
Emily's first relationship was said to be with Harry Styles. She said they had a brief fling in 2012 but were never serious enough to call each other 'boyfriend and girlfriend'
After the fling came her longest relationship to date – a five-year romance with model Jack Varcher that came to an end in 2018
Emily has always been an open book when it comes to her love life, yet fans were surprised to find that her first known romance had flown under the radar at the time.
The Rivals actress waited a year before confessing to dating Harry Styles, saying she had a brief fling with the One Direction heart-throb, but they were never serious enough to call each other 'boyfriend and girlfriend'.
She told Reveal magazine in 2013: 'I think that's the first time I've ever admitted to what it was, because I've always just shrugged it off before.
'But I think it's best to clear it up. So, yeah, we had a short-lived thing that was just a bit of fun. Then we went off in our opposite directions.'
The blonde explained she enjoyed 'a laugh' with the teenage pop star in 2012, but confirmed Harry hadn't been in touch since their 'brief' dalliance.
Emily added: 'Harry and I had a laugh. It was brief, but fun, and then we moved on. We haven't spoken in a while - he's one of the most famous people in the world now.'
After the fling came her longest relationship to date – a five-year romance with model Jack Vacher that came to an end in 2018.
Months after the break-up Emily appeared on I'm A Celeb, going on to finish in second place after Harry Redknapp.
Yet she admitted to struggling with heartbreak while in camp, telling fellow contestant Noel Edmonds: 'I had a really difficult start to the year. I went through a break-up.
'Five years I was with somebody. I got into a habit of thinking I needed that security. That I needed that love and acceptance from a guy to make me happy.
'For me this has been very daunting.'
It's believed Emily and Jack took a break during their romance because she is said to have fallen head over heels for comedian Seann Walsh in 2016 after clicking at Edinburgh Fringe
Emily's next relationship came in 2019 – a six-month dalliance with producer Rob Jowers, whom she met at Jack Whitehall’s BRITs after-party
It's believed Emily and Jack took a break during their romance because she is said to have fallen head over heels for comedian Seann Walsh in 2016 after clicking at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
British comedian Seann, 40, was dating ex-girlfriend Rebecca Humphries at the time, but sources said that he had been 'extremely evasive' when asked about his relationships and 'Emily was under the impression he was single'.
Later, Emily was said to be keen to put the 'whole dalliance behind her' after an intimate snap of the two of them in bed together surfaced online.
An insider told the Sun at the time: 'Emily is mortified that this picture has appeared. She had wanted to put the whole dalliance behind her and is keen to forget about it.
'At the time, she and Seann were totally wrapped up in each other. But she's over it now.
Emily reportedly told friends she was 'in love with Seann', who she first met on E4 show Virtually Famous in 2014 before reconnecting in Edinburgh where their 'friendship took off'.
'That is where they properly clicked,' a source told The Sun. 'She liked the fact that he was a little bit older and more experienced than her, so seemed like a man of the world.'
Emily's next relationship came in 2019 – a six-month dalliance with producer Rob Jowers, whom she met at Jack Whitehall’s BRITs after-party.
She shared on Loose Women: 'I don’t remember meeting him as I was so drunk. I went up to him and said, "Who are you?" and he said, "Who are YOU?" He got me a drink and we’ve been together ever since!'
Revealing she stayed the night on their first meeting, she confessed: 'I stayed at his, but he was ever the gentleman and put me to bed.'
She later described Rob as 'the man I've been waiting for', yet it soon fizzled out after the 'honeymoon' ended.
Sources told The Sun of their split: 'Emily and Rob were enjoying a honeymoon phase in their relationship with lots of fancy dates and extravagant weekends abroad.
'When the dust settled they realised it just wasn't right. The split was mutual and they are both really sad about it and remain friends.
'Emily's enjoying one of the busiest times in her career so wants to give all she can to the exciting work opportunities coming her way.'
Up next was a three-month romance with tattoo artist and model Charlie Edwards, who was tragically found dead inside a tattoo studio in March this year
After her romance with Charlie, Emily dated model Jude Taylor, but again it wasn't meant to be and they split in 2021 after five months because of her hectic work commitments
That same year Emily was rumoured to have enjoyed a secret six-week fling with footballer Jack Grealish while he was still dating girlfriend Sasha Attwood. They denied the reports
Up next was a romance with tattoo artist and model Charlie Edwards, who is believed to have wooed her via Instagram DMs.
It was revealed that the pair were an item in October 2021, but they ended their romance after just three months after her hectic work schedule and strict Covid-19 rules made it difficult for them to see each other.
The pair remained good friends following their split before Charlie was tragically found dead inside a tattoo studio in March this year. His cause of death remains officially undetermined pending further coroner proceedings.
Emily shared a heartbreaking tribute following his death, penning: 'This is devastating to write. Charlie you were my friend. You were ALWAYS there for me. You dropped everything so many times to come and be with me.
'We talked for hours on end on the phone about absolutely everything. We helped each other.
'You were funny, SO smart, so talented and caring. I can only hope and pray that you have found some peace.
'My heart breaks for your family who will forever be so proud of you. Beautiful boy, beautiful soul. I'm so so sorry. Rest in peace Charlie.'
After her romance with Charlie, Emily dated model Jude Taylor, but again it wasn't meant to be and they split in 2021 after five months because of her hectic work commitments.
A friend of Emily's shared: 'Emily and Jude were a great match and had a lot of fun, but it ended up being too tricky to make it work long term, they have barely managed to see each other recently so made the decision to call it quits.
'Emily has so much going on at the moment too and that made their relationship a little more difficult.'
That same year Emily was rumoured to have enjoyed a secret six-week fling with footballer Jack Grealish while he was still dating girlfriend Sasha Attwood. However the pair vehemently denied the reports.
In 2022, Strictly's Giovanni Pernice was said to have set his sights on Emily – and while it's not believed the pair dated – they were said to have enjoyed a steamy smooch at a BRITs party
Up next was a seven-month romance with tree surgeon and reality star Liam McGough in 2022, which fizzled out when they decided 'they were better off as friends'
In 2022, Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice was said to have set his sights on Emily – and while it's not believed the pair ever dated – they were said to have enjoyed a steamy smooch during a raucous BRITs party.
An onlooker told The Sun: 'Gio and Emily were snogging the faces off each other. Their hands were everywhere and they were absolutely loving it.'
A separate partygoer told the Daily Mail: 'Giovanni set his sights on Emily from the get-go. He made a beeline for her and was very persistent.
'He held her hands and waist and during one intimate moment caressed her face, before the pair left the club to have a cigarette together.
'After rejoining the party, Emily looked happy to be close to Giovanni but was also conscious not to overdo it in front of his Strictly co-stars.'
Up next was a seven-month romance with tree surgeon and reality star Liam McGough in 2022, which fizzled out when they decided 'they were better off as friends'.
Liam was a housemate on the 2007 series of Big Brother where he finished in third place, losing out to winner Brian Belo.
The pair have remained amicable, sharing snaps together on social media and partying with mutual friends.
Following her split from Liam, Emily opened up about struggling with life as a single woman, saying she had cried herself to sleep during bouts of loneliness.
Speaking on her podcast, Soaking Up Life With..., she confessed: 'People think I fly the flag for all the single ladies, but I'm not afraid to admit being on your own is actually miserable a lot of the time. It's pretty hard.
'There are times when I go out and I feel confident and sexy on my own and I'm independent. But there are times when I cry myself to sleep because it's lonely and awful, and it's OK to admit that, I think.
'Where I go wrong in life is that I'm known as confident, sexy and all those things, and that's all great,' she said. And then the second that I'm in love, I'm absolutely pathetic.
'I go from being confident to being like, "Just have everything," and that's not on them, that's all on me. That's a lack of self care and self love. I have mountains and buckets of confidence but no self-esteem.'
In 2023, Emily began dating Dr Alistair – someone she had grown up alongside (Alistair pictured with Emily, right, and her sister Martha, top middle, in 2014)
The Dancing On Ice star had known Alistair for decades because her mother is the sister of Alistair's stepmother Jane Garner. They are not blood relatives
Yet little did Emily know at the time that true love was just around the corner.
In 2023, Emily began dating Dr Alistair – someone she had grown up alongside.
The Dancing On Ice star had known Alistair for decades because her mother is the sister of Alistair's stepmother Jane Garner. They are not blood relatives.
They were introduced after Emily's aunt started dating Alistair's father Stephen Garner in the early 90s before they got married in 1994.
Yet it wasn't until 2023 that they developed romantic feelings towards each other, with Emily's family, including mother Kate Robbins who calls Alistair her 'nephew', believed to be thrilled the pair had started dating.
Writing in her 2019 autobiography Are We There Yet? Emily gave clues as to why she ended up in a relationship with Alistair, explaining her cousins 'understand each other on a deep level'.
Despite the majority of her cousins living in the North of England, including Alistair, Emily says herself, plus sister Martha and brother George, still managed to spend lots of time with them while they were growing up.
Emily later explained she attempted to replicate the close bond she shares with her cousins within her friendship groups. She said: 'They've taught me openness, love, friendship - things that I've looked to create with all other friendship groups...
'They're my solid foundations that everything else is built upon and it doesn't matter what happens in the rest of my life - if all the walls are knocked down, I know those foundations will be there...
'They make me think of those Ellie Goulding lyrics: "When I'm standing with you, I'm standing with my army."'
In June 2024, the couple welcomed their first child together – son Barney.
Emily revealed she and Alistair discovered the pregnancy news during their first ever holiday together in Italy last year and described it as the 'most perfect day' of her life.
She then shared that she and Alistair soon bought a property together and the day after they finished unpacking, their son was born.
Emily went on to explain how the hunky scientist is so proud of her career, something she has never experienced in a relationship, and admitted he eagerly cuts out articles about her from newspapers and magazines to keep.
Gushing over Alistair, Emily also teased wedding plans: 'I know Al will look after me and Barney. I know he will be the best father and the best husband eventually. I am happier than I ever thought I could be.'
In June 2024, the couple welcomed their first child together – son Barney. They moved in together the same month and Alastair popped the question the following year
Emily previously told HELLO! magazine that she felt as if she has 'won the lottery' with their baby son Barney, and added that she couldn't have gone through the 'difficult labour' with anyone but Alistair.
She told the publication: 'I couldn't ask for a better partner and Al is the only person on this earth that I could have done this with.
'It was a very difficult birth and after 12 hours of labour, I ended up having an emergency caesarean, but he was so calm.'
The Inbetweeners star also described Alistair as her 'literal rock' and said she couldn't picture her life with anyone else.
She added: 'All the cliches of life become true when you fall in love and have a baby. He's my rock, but he really, literally, is my rock; I couldn't do life with anyone else but him.'
The pair then got engaged in July last year, and on Saturday they tied the knot in the UK in front of their loved ones ahead of their lavish Spanish nuptials next month.
Emily shared snaps of her £2,325 Josephine Scott dress that had long sleeves with lace cuffs and a plunging pleat neckline as she and Alistair walked down the aisle after being declared husband and wife.
On Sunday she wrote in her Instagram post announcing the wedding: 'Yesterday we officially got married among close family and friends. It was absolutely perfect.
'I can't believe we get to do all that again in a few weeks time. Christ, we have fun don't we @dralistairgarner.'
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