CELEBRITY Hunted star Chloe Veitch has revealed her abusive relationship with an ex, saying strangers would stop her in the street and beg her to leave him.
Chloe, 25, who competed on the Channel 4 show in 2018, spoke candidly about her experience, shedding light on the toxic dynamic she once found herself trapped in.
Ensuring to keep the person’s identity private, she told Harry Jowsey on his Boyfriend Material podcast, she said: “Towards the end of the relationship, it would be full-blown arguments.
“It got physical, like in front of people, to the point where people would run up to me in the street crying and say, like, ‘Why are you with this guy?’ And I’m like, ‘But I love him.'”
She admitted that she hadn’t anticipated she would find herself in such a situation, saying: “I never thought I would be that girl. But it didn’t just happen overnight. It was the small red flags that turn into that end result.”
Chloe hopes that sharing her story can serve as a warning to others who might find themselves in similar positions.
She continued: “So I think if there’s anyone that’s listening that can learn from this experience, this isn’t just a moment for me to gossip. This is genuine realisation of me, understanding like this isn’t acceptable at all, at any part.”
The Too Hot To Handle alum urged others to recognise warning signs in their own relationships, saying, “It doesn’t have to be he raises his hand for you to leave. You should be aware of the signs because you can see them.”
Chloe has also been grieving the sudden loss of her close friend, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne, real name James Lee Williams, who passed away aged 32.
The pair starred together on Celebrity Hunted in 2022 and remained close friends.
Chloe recently shared her heartbreak on Instagram, posting a screenshot of their final messages on WhatsApp.
In the exchange, James had invited her to visit, writing: “Come and stay for a few days when you can.”
Chloe replied: “Yeah, that sounds good. I’m not doing anything next weekend. I wanna come see you.”
James explained: “I’m not free until the 5th then have a week off. Just got home xxx.”
Chloe responded: “OK babe, I’ll come see you for a couple of nights after the 5th.”
Captioning the screenshot, Chloe wrote: “I’m gonna miss you so much, James.”
She also shared a touching photo of the pair, adding: “You were the light in everyone’s life,” alongside a clip of their time on Celebrity Hunted.
Chloe included a poignant quote in her tribute: “If you have the chance to make people happy, just do it. Sometimes people are struggling silently. Maybe your act of kindness can make their day.”
James’ publicist, Simon Jones, confirmed the tragic news last month, saying: “It is with immense sadness that we announce our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne – passed away suddenly this weekend.
“James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted, and amazing person. Their family is heartbroken by the loss of their son, brother, and uncle.
“They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career.”
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
