I’m a Celebrity star Jan Leeming has revealed the cheating love of her life sent her a 17-page letter listing everything he found wrong with her.
The five-times-married former newsreader admitted she would always unfairly blame herself for her failed relationships.
Jan, 83, said even though the ex was a serial womaniser she kept the letter for many years before finally burning it, because she thought she might learn from reminding herself of his criticisms.
Discussing the letter, she said: ‘I’m a lot more sure of myself now than I was when I was young. I’ve very, very rarely ended a relationship – I’ve always hung on thinking ‘if I do this, if I do that’.
‘But not now. Now I wouldn’t hang on if I were in a relationship and it wasn’t working. The love of my life was a womaniser.
‘He made the excuse – this woman had been in his life quite a long time – he said ‘Oh it was money worries and the children that drove us apart’.
I’m a Celebrity star Jan Leeming has revealed the cheating love of her life sent her a 17-page letter listing everything he found wrong with her
The five-times-married former newsreader admitted she would always unfairly blame herself for her failed relationships (pictured during her appearance in 2006)
‘Seven years later, like an idiot, I allowed him back into my life. By then he was in the driving seat financially, the children had grown up, still the same problems. But I had blamed myself.
‘He sent me a 17-page letter of what was wrong with me.
‘I kept it for years, and then I finally burned them, because I kept thinking ‘this is where I go wrong’. But no, it isn’t all me.’
Jan, who did not name the past partner who sent her the long letter, said ‘possibly’ women have been conditioned to feel they are at fault following relationship breakdowns.
The TV presenter added on the Suddenly Single podcast: ‘But I always felt very insecure, so it had to be me that was wrong. Maybe that’s because of my upbringing, my parents separating when I was very young.’
Jan first married BBC sound engineer John Staple in 1961, but they only lasted seven months together.
She then lived with poet Owen Leeming and took his surname even though they never tied the knot.
In 1972 she married estate agent Jeremy Gilchrist and in 1981 wed radio announcer Patrick Lunt, the father of her son Jonathan.
Jan first married BBC sound engineer John Staple in 1961, but they only lasted seven months together (pictured on their wedding day)
She said she might take the advice of late husband, Patrick Hunt (pictured), and head down the aisle for a sixth time
Husband number four was Red Arrows pilot Eric Steenson, with her fifth marriage being to headteacher Chris Russell.
Now after a decade of being single she said she is seriously dating a new man.
Jan revealed how she joined a dating site in a bid for love and hasn’t ruled out getting married again for the sixth time.
She said she might take the advice of late husband, Patrick Hunt, and head down the aisle for a sixth time.
Jan wed BBC radio announcer Patrick, the father of her son Jonathan, in 1981.
Responding to whether she’d get wed again, Jan says: ‘Never say never. My son’s late father said, “Why not make it a baker’s half-dozen!”
But she won’t settle for anyone, adding: ‘I don’t want somebody who hasn’t looked after themselves, because I have. To me, that’s a lack of discipline.’
Husband number four was Red Arrows pilot Eric Steenson (pictured), with her fifth marriage being to headteacher Chris Russell
Revealing she is happily dating someone, Jan said: ‘It’s going extremely well. At my age I’m not going to get a million likes, but I have been on a date!
‘They send you info with the person’s background, and if you like what you see, you get a phone call. We chatted for an hour-and-a-half, then an hour the next night, and the next! So we met.
‘At first I wasn’t sure… but he was such an engaging conversationalist. He had me laughing and that’s very important.’
