LOVE IN THE TIME OF CORONA

Expert says many new relationships won’t survive the pandemic

- Jennifer Hyland

Couples who chose to move in together during lockdown face a battle to save their relationship when measures are eased, an expert has warned.

Maria Jackson, director of clinical practice at The Spark, a counselling and relationship support service, warned that courtships have been rushed because of the pandemic and many will not survive.

Last week, we told how Love Island star Laura Anderson was spending lockdown with her new boyfriend. And TV’s queen of clean Aggie MacKenzie has revealed that she’s enjoying being cooped up with her new partner.

Meanwhile, Nicole Scherzinger and Thom Evans are seemingly loving being stuck together, even sharing a video of them singing a duet.

But Maria says couples in the “fantasy” stage who started cohabiting were quickly discovering each other’s flaws and annoying habits.

The relationships guru revealed the Glasgow-based support group’s phone helpline is taking 40 calls a day from people struggling to adapt to living with a new partner.

Maria said: “People who were just getting together at lockdown found they had to make big decisions. Some people chose to move in together before they would normally have even thought about it while others decided to stay apart.