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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Opik and presenter Lloyd separate | Opik and presenter Lloyd separate |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Flamboyant MP Lembit Opik has announced he is dating one of pop duo the Cheeky Girls, after confirming he and weather presenter Sian Lloyd have split up. | |
| The Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrat MP said in a statement that he and fiancee Ms Lloyd had separated "some time ago". | |
| Mr Opik said: "The end of any personal relationship is always difficult, but these things happen." | Mr Opik said: "The end of any personal relationship is always difficult, but these things happen." |
| He later said it was "not a secret" that he was going out with Romanian pop singer Gabriela Irimia. | |
| 'Treasured memories' | |
| Mr Opik, 41, and weather presenter Ms Lloyd announced their engagement in 2004 and had been together for four years. | |
| He said: "It is true that the relationship between Sian Lloyd and myself ended some time ago. | He said: "It is true that the relationship between Sian Lloyd and myself ended some time ago. |
| She is a normal girl and he is a normal man and he honestly has so much charisma and is so nice Margit IrimiaCheeky Girls' mother | |
| "However, I continue to regard Sian as one of the brightest, most out-going, hard working and generous people I've had the privilege to know. | "However, I continue to regard Sian as one of the brightest, most out-going, hard working and generous people I've had the privilege to know. |
| "Sian and I had many happy times together and I will always treasure those. | "Sian and I had many happy times together and I will always treasure those. |
| "Sian has also done a great deal of work in the interests of a number of charities and causes, including the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and I really admire that. | "Sian has also done a great deal of work in the interests of a number of charities and causes, including the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and I really admire that. |
| "I hope that she will remember the happy times as we both go our separate ways. I wish the very best for her." | "I hope that she will remember the happy times as we both go our separate ways. I wish the very best for her." |
| He asked the press to "treat this matter with a degree of sensitivity". | He asked the press to "treat this matter with a degree of sensitivity". |
| A spokesman for Mr Opik added that both he and the Liberal Democrats did not intend to comment further on "this private and personal matter". | A spokesman for Mr Opik added that both he and the Liberal Democrats did not intend to comment further on "this private and personal matter". |
| 'Impressed' | 'Impressed' |
| Meanwhile, Gabriela Irimia's mother and manager Margit confirmed that Mr Opik and the Cheeky Girls singer were in a relationship and that he had visited the family home in East Sussex. | Meanwhile, Gabriela Irimia's mother and manager Margit confirmed that Mr Opik and the Cheeky Girls singer were in a relationship and that he had visited the family home in East Sussex. |
| Romanian twin sisters The Cheeky Girls have had novelty hits | |
| Ms Irimia said: "He was very relaxed because when you go to visit somebody at home you are not on an official engagement. | Ms Irimia said: "He was very relaxed because when you go to visit somebody at home you are not on an official engagement. |
| "I was impressed with his behaviour. She is a normal girl and he is a normal man and he honestly has so much charisma and is so nice." | "I was impressed with his behaviour. She is a normal girl and he is a normal man and he honestly has so much charisma and is so nice." |
| Ms Irimia said the first "date" between Mr Opik and her daughter had been a trip to the Science Museum in west London. | Ms Irimia said the first "date" between Mr Opik and her daughter had been a trip to the Science Museum in west London. |
| "She is impressed that she can talk to him about so many different things. She is happy but I do not say more," she said. | "She is impressed that she can talk to him about so many different things. She is happy but I do not say more," she said. |
| Ms Irimia also said she had no concerns about the age gap between the couple. | Ms Irimia also said she had no concerns about the age gap between the couple. |
| "At 24 she is a young woman, not a naive girl. She is a wise woman who knows exactly what she wants," she said. | "At 24 she is a young woman, not a naive girl. She is a wise woman who knows exactly what she wants," she said. |
| Mr Opik later told the Press Association, as he arrived at his constituency home in Newtown, Powys: "Me going out with Gabby is not a secret. | Mr Opik later told the Press Association, as he arrived at his constituency home in Newtown, Powys: "Me going out with Gabby is not a secret. |
| "I don't want to be awkward, but I've thought about this a lot, and all I want to say is in the statement." | "I don't want to be awkward, but I've thought about this a lot, and all I want to say is in the statement." |
| Asteroid expert | |
| Mr Opik, who was born in Northern Ireland, has represented Montgomeryshire since 1997. | Mr Opik, who was born in Northern Ireland, has represented Montgomeryshire since 1997. |
| He is the Welsh Liberal Democrat leader and is an expert in near-Earth objects such as asteroids or comets. | He is the Welsh Liberal Democrat leader and is an expert in near-Earth objects such as asteroids or comets. |
| He has campaigned for the government to take the threat of a collision more seriously. | He has campaigned for the government to take the threat of a collision more seriously. |
| During their relationship, ITV presenter Ms Lloyd started teaching Mr Opik Welsh. | During their relationship, ITV presenter Ms Lloyd started teaching Mr Opik Welsh. |
| He proposed marriage while piloting a light aircraft, 3,000 feet above Wales. | He proposed marriage while piloting a light aircraft, 3,000 feet above Wales. |
| In April this year they appeared on Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, winning £64,000 for charity. | In April this year they appeared on Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, winning £64,000 for charity. |