Michelle Keegan's whirlwind engagement with Max George before heartbreaking split

Michelle Keegan may be expecting her first child with husband Mark Wright, but prior to their romance she was in a relationship with The Wanted’s Max George. Back in December, Michelle and Mark shocked fans by sharing the exciting news that they were set to become parents. In a joint Instagram post, the duo shared a snap of the former Coronation Street star cradling her baby bump as Mark walked towards her. “2025 is going to be a special one for us,” they captioned the post.

Since sharing the happy news, the 37-year-old actress has opened up on her pregnancy and gave some insight into her pregnant cravings. “I'm usually a savoury girl, but now I'm craving sugary stuff. I'll eat a chocolate bar while walking around the supermarket and just give them the wrapper at the checkout,” she told Grazia. After meeting her husband Mark, 38, in 2012, the pair tied the knot three years later in Bury St Edmunds. However, prior to their big day, Michelle almost ended up with All Time Low singer Max after they got engaged - though they failed to make it down the aisle.

The pair, who were aged 24 and 23 at the time of their relationship, met in 2010 and went public at the end of that same year. Confirming their romance to New! magazine, Max said: “Yes, we are seeing each other. She's just beautiful. She's an awesome girl. She's a funny girl - and I love her accent too... it's early days though.”. Just six months later, Max, now 36, popped the question in June 2011. However, by January 2012 they’d called off their wedding and had gone their separate ways.

If you can't see the poll, click here. They'd been together for three years, but Max admitted that by the end of the relationship, Michelle "wasn't making him happy", and he was “drinking too much,” as Metro reported. Speaking to The Sun, Max explained: “I had a real problem with drinking too much and that was, without doubt, the downfall of our relationship." There were rumours the romance was blighted by cheating but Max is adamant the gossip wasn't true - insisting neither of them were ready for marriage.

He went on: “Michelle is seen as like Britain's Sweetheart nowadays, I understand it might have looked as if there was something to hide, [but] there was no betrayal in terms of cheating... “I tried to kid myself it would work out OK, but the moment she said she didn't want to be engaged anymore I know that something was wrong. It was a whirlwind. I don't regret it because you shouldn't regret anything you do. You learn.”.

While Michelle went on to date former TOWIE star Mark Wright in 2013, the Gold Forever singer began dating Stacey Giggs in 2018. Sadly the pair split in 2022. At present Max is in a relationship with actress Maisie Smith. The pair both competed on Strictly Come Dancing together in 2020. In the summer of 2022 the pair were first linked and in August 2022 they addressed the rumours that arose prior to them going public with their romance during an appearance on Loose Women. “Speculation drove that more than we would have at the start, but once it was out there, we do everything out here, it was kind of like it's out there,” Max admitted.

Maisie, 23, added: “The people we allow in our lives are so happy. Mam has never seen me so happy. That's all that really matters to me.”. One and a half years on and the pair are still going from strength to strength, with Maisie recently supporting Max after he was fitted with a pacemaker after doctors discovered an issue with his heart. “When you get told that, you really realise what your responsibilities are. I've got a partner, Maisie, I've got a family. I've got two little nephews and all of that stuff really comes to the front of it all,” he told The Sun.