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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

Ronan Keating split from Love Island star Jack's mum after affair was exposed by texts

When it comes to relationships, Love Island star Jack Keating insists he is very different to his famous dad.

Before going into the Love Island villa, Jack Keating made a point of saying he has never cheated in a relationship.

The 23-year-old, who is one of the Casa Amor bombshells, admitted he keeps telling himself he's still single because he hasn't met the right girl yet.

When asked what makes him a good boyfriend, Jack said: "I'm definitely loyal, my loyalties are obviously with the girl I'm with. I've never cheated on anyone.

"I can be very compassionate, I'm not afraid to tell a girl how I feel - I wear my heart on my sleeve a lot of the time."

The Dublin lad, who works in social media and marketing, hopefully won't be committing the sins of his father Ronan Keating, who was caught cheating on his mum.

Jack Keating is very close to his dad Ronan (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

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Jack mentioned that his parents were no longer together during a chat with Gemma Owen on Sunday night's Love Island.

The former Boyzone singer married his mum, model and TV personality Yvonne Connolly, in 1998 and they had three kids together.

However, just 10 years into their marriage, Yvonne made a horrifying discovery that saw her world come crashing down just as they were about to move into their dream home together.

While Yvonne was packing boxes ahead of their move to a sprawling £3.5million mansion just outside Dublin, she was checking their phone bills and saw calls from Ronan's phone yo a number she didn't recognise.

She turned detective and called the number - then realised her husband was having an affair with Boyzone backing dancer Francine Cornell.

"She knew something was going on and she got hold of his phone records and called my number," Francine previously told The Sun.

"From my voicemail she got my name — that’s how she found out. Ronan tried to deny it all at first. He said I was a dancer from the tour and we were just good friends."

Just days later, Ronan broke things off with Francine to get back with Yvonne and told her in a emotional phone call that they could never speak to each other again.

Ronan Keating with his ex-wife model Yvonne Connolly (REUTERS/Jonathan Evans)
Ronan Keating and Yvonne Connolly were married in 1998, split in 2010, and finalised their divorce in 2015 (Getty Images)

So Francine was shocked a month later when Yvonne asked her to come to her hotel in London for a dramatic showdown - and the police were called.

Yvonne said that she found out about the affair when she checked heir phone bills, just before they were supposed to be moving into a new house together.

Appearing on Brendan O'Connor's Cutting Edge in 2018, Yvonne said: "We were about to move into our new house. So, no, I didn’t see it coming at all.

"I did get in touch with the girl involved, and I arranged to meet her in a hotel - my hotel, which she did.

"I just needed answers. I just needed the truth, and I needed to make sure stories collaborated. It was very hard to figure out who you can trust.

"So this was the answer to it. I was going to meet this girl, a quick 20-minute conversation, and we’d be done and dusted.

"And in fairness to her, she came and met me. But the 20-minute conversation turned into a couple of bottles of wine.

Ronan and ex Yvonne with their kids back in 2011 (Getty)

"After a few hours I realised she needed it as much as I did and I know it sounds very dramatic, but she was as much as a victim as I was. I think we both got something from it."

"When I look back, this is what it all boils down to: it was basically two girls in love with the same boy who over a five-hour conversation realised that that boy was not who we thought he was."

In a bizarre twist, the police then turned up at the hotel after receiving a call from Francine's mum, who was concerned for her wellbeing when she hadn't heard from her.

Yvonne and Ronan did movw into their new home and the singer used the sleeve notes of his 2010 solo album Duet to apologise to his wife.

"You are the most incredible, inspirational woman I have ever met," he gushed.

"For the mistakes I have made in my life, I am sorry. Guess you have to go there to come back. It was a dark place and you were the light to bring me back. I love you."

However, the cracks were too deep as the couple separated in 2010 and their divorce was finalised in 2015 - the same year Ronan married his current wife, Storm Keating.

In 2016, Ronan appeared to apologise to his ex-wife when asked about the affair in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

Jack with his sister Missy and mum Yvonne (Getty Images Europe)

He was quoted as saying: "Nobody should have an affair. If you're man enough to have the balls to go home and say, 'Sorry, this isn't working anymore,' that's the ideal situation, isn't it?

"But we're weak. We don't do that. So yes, I hurt people and I am sorry for that hurt, but the outcome is I found Storm and I'm very grateful. But I'm saying sorry."

However, Ronan later insisted he had no regrets about the split when he opened up in a lenghty Facebook post in 2016.

"There is a lot more to it than an affair and obviously it was broken well before then," he wrote. "Over the years I have kept my mouth shut and taken all the blame for the sake of my kids & my ex wife. But enough now. After 6yrs I draw the line."

"There is a lot more to my situation than people will ever know & that's the way it should be. But there are always two people in a relationship and if it's not working there's more than one good reason for it.

"I will not stand for complete misrepresentation of my truth and my heart anymore. I've done that for way too many years and too long in the tooth for it. Please respect that everyone has moved on and better off.

"Not once did I say I was apologising to my ex wife or saying sorry for the affair. I said I was sorry for all the hurt it had caused, to which I truly am."

Jack Keating, Cooper Keating, Ronan Keating, Storm Keating, Missy Keating and Ally Keating in 2019 (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Ronan has three kids with TV producer Storm and is incredibly close with son Jack, who spoke about his dad before entering the Casa Amor villa.

"My dad is a singer, Ronan Keating. He will be watching when I'm on it for sure," explained Jack. "He's buzzing for me, me and my dad are very close, we're best mates."

Yvonne has also been vocal in her support for her son - and was trying to put a good word in for him with dumped Islander Antigoni Buxton.

The Love Island Twitter page shared a picture of Antigoni with the caption: "When will my husband arrive in the villa."

Jack's mum was quick to comment on the post, writing: "Sooner than you think Antigoni," and even followed her words with the hashtag "jackandantigoni" as well as winking and love heart emojis.

However, Antigoni was packing her bags shortly afterwards so Jack had better crack on with one of the girls who are still on the show.

When asked why he was appearing on the show now, he said: "I've been single for a long time, probably four or five years now and I've really been missing that spark that I haven't been getting on the dating scene, like I’ve been dating for a long time.

"And I just thought why not? Hopefully I'll get a connection with somebody and see what happens."

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