Corrie's Katie McGlynn and TOWIE's Ricky Rayment's first photo shoot together after whirlwind romance – 'It's the happiest we've ever been'

They are a couple with so much in common it feels almost inevitable they would find each other and fall in love.

Yet it took the intervention of Fate - and a sunshine cruise - to finally bring Katie McGlynn and Ricky Rayment together.

Now, in their first joint photo shoot and interview, the pair have shared the inside story of their deepening relationship.

“I get nervous with shoots - I’m an actor not a model - but it’s been wonderful to have Ricky here. We’ve spent the day having fun and being silly,” laughed award-winning Coronation Street favourite Katie, 30, who played Sinead Tinker in the soap for seven years.

“We’d both spent most of our adult lives being single; I think we preferred to be alone rather than with someone who wasn’t right - but it’s definitely been worth the wait!” explained the Littleborough born star who also took to the Strictly floor in 2021.

Meanwhile, 33-year-old Ricky, who spent four years on our screens in The Only Way is Essex, is thrilled to have found someone who shares his passion for outdoor life.

Now running his own fishing business, Crowsheath Fishery, the TOWIE star - who in the past has also dated Jess Wright - also revealed in our chat that the next step in his and Katie’s relationship is on the cards.

So, we hear you got together while at sea? Can you tell us more about that?

Katie: We had never met before but were both booked to do some work on a cruise. I’d never really been interested in cruising but I decided to travel with a friend and incorporate it into a bit of a break as well - it was a last minute decision to go.

When I arrived on the ship I’d been travelling for twelve hours, was shattered and pretty sweaty - and then Ricky rocks up looking rather handsome!

Ricky: I saw Katie on board and thought ‘wow’. I first became aware of her years ago, when she was doing those incredible final scenes in Corrie when her character had cancer. I thought then she was amazing. I followed her on Twitter but I never had the courage to post or message her and then four years on there she was!

Katie: I remember you following me and I said to a friend ‘what does he want?’ And then that was that - never heard another word!

Was there an instant attraction?

Katie: No! I thought he was very good looking but to be honest I did judge him a bit prematurely. I recognised his face and just assumed he wasn’t going to be my type of person - you know, Jack, the lad from Essex - and I took it for granted we wouldn’t get on; happy to say I got that one wrong!

I decided I probably wasn’t going to get on with him, wouldn’t talk to him and anyway, I was there with a friend and wasn’t interested in boys, so off I went to have a shower.

Ricky: But then we had to attend a work dinner on board and were seated across from each other - it was like the universe made it happen. We just totally got on.

I think where we both were four years ago, we wouldn’t have been ready for each other - we had different things going on in our lives, different career paths. But meeting on that cruise was just the most perfect timing.

Katie: When I finally started to talk to him we just clicked. It sounds cringey, but when we chatted, I felt like I was at home. It was so comfortable. We couldn’t stop laughing and we found we had a lot of shared interests and views; we understood each other. At first I thought he must be lying - I couldn’t believe we had that much in common - but the proof is in the pudding!

I ended up missing my flight home, so Ricky also reorganised his so we could stay abroad a little longer and enjoy some time together. That was when I realised that this was more than just a holiday romance.

Ricky: It was a slow burn over the course of that week - we just gravitated towards each other. But we have barely been apart since - and that was six months ago.

Why do you think you get on so well?

Katie: I'm quite down to Earth. I don't like all the fake business of this industry, so I go towards real people and that's Ricky. He’s just a lovely human being.

I live a normal life - I love being outdoors, I love peace and quiet. People see the glitz and the glamour but that’s just work. Ricky gets that.

Ricky: It’s been a bit of a whirlwind - it wasn’t planned - but we’re very similar. We think the same way, we laugh a lot, we both like the outdoors life. It was meant to be.

Katie: I actually had a fortune teller say to me I would meet someone within three months with a beard who was sort of in the industry but sort of not and with an association with the letter ‘r’. I was like, ‘yeah, right’. Three months later I got on that cruise!

Have you met each other’s families? How did that go?

Katie: Ricky was thrown in at the deep end. It was quite early on after we’d met, Ricky was visiting me in Manchester and I was going to my niece’s sixth birthday party. He came along and met the family. I was a bit worried about that - he's a Southerner and my family are all really Northern, so how’s that going to go? - but it went really well.

Ricky: Katie went for a pedicure and manicure with my mum the other day! She’s even been a hit with my two dogs, too. I've got a little Chihuahua cross, Blake, and a Husky called Nova, who’s not that keen on people; she likes to keep herself to herself. But whenever Katie's around, she just follows her everywhere - even into the bathroom!

You live quite a distance from each other - how do you deal with that?

Katie: There is quite a lot of diesel involved! I live in Manchester, Ricky is in Essex so we manage to see each other on weekends. Ricky has his own business and I can be pretty flexible with my job, we’re busy in the week and before you know it, it’s Friday again. We just make it work.

Ricky: Katie was in the panto Cinderella in Malvern and I travelled regularly to see her. I watched that show a lot!

Katie: He ran lines with me, he was so supportive. Like my own Prince Charming!

Ricky: I’ve actually played Prince Charming in panto! See - it’s Fate! We have spoken about moving in together. It’s maybe still a little bit early but it feels as if there is an inevitability about it.

Was it a conscious decision to initially keep the relationship private?

Katie: Yes. I've always really tried to keep my love life private where possible. I don't like spilling my beans out in front of everybody. I’m an actress. I go on TV and play other people and that's where I like to leave it. So I wanted to keep Ricky and I under wraps for a while until I knew that it was serious before sharing it with other people. Doing this today feels a bit bizarre but when you know, you know - and this feels right.

Ricky: We wanted it to be organic and just get to do our own thing without any other distractions; we wanted it to be our little secret. But then we kept getting recognised and to be honest the only way to keep things totally under wraps was to not set foot outside the door,which is nonsense. Now we’re more relaxed about it all, the pressure’s off and that’s nice.

Is there pressure to be in a relationship once you’re out of your 20s - especially if you're in the public eye?

Katie: I've always been focused on my career and I've never liked to force things in relationships. I have never reached an age and then thought: ‘Oh, I need to be with someone’ - that way you can make wrong decisions.

Ricky: We both would rather be single than settle for someone who's not right. It feels a bit weird - and absolutely brilliant - to finally meet the right person.

Katie, how do you look back at your time on Coronation Street? Do you miss it?

I still get recognised and I still get messages all the time about the cervical cancer storyline Sinead went through. But that’s why I wanted to do that story - to make an impact.

I am so glad it shone a light on the importance of going for smears and for women to get themselves checked out. I'm still super proud of it all.

But I have no regrets about leaving the cobbles. I love to be challenged and I wanted to do different things.

I miss the people, of course, but then I still see and speak to them all the time. I'm always on the phone to Rob (Mallard) who plays Daniel, Lisa (George) who plays Auntie Beth and Dan (Brocklebank) who plays the vicar.

I am still glad I left - it allowed me to do a lot of other opportunities across TV and theatre. I love not knowing what's happening next and being spontaneous - Ricky and I are both like that.

And what about your time on Strictly?

Katie: Gorka and I are still in touch and check in on each other. We have hectic schedules, though, so we don’t get to see too much of each other but he’s always been very supportive of my career and vice versa. The last time we spoke it was to congratulate him on his new arrival!

Ricky, tell us a little about your business?

Fishing is my business and my passion. I came off TOWIE and was doing bits and pieces on tv but it wasn't something that really fueled the fire in my belly.

I've always loved fishing and being next to water, enjoying the outdoors - I’m a water baby at heart - and I started fishing years ago with my dad and kept it up, going to a local lake.

Then the chance came up to buy into that business and it’s been the best decision of my life. I've been so much happier and had clearer vision. I’ve been more focused.

I’m happiest outdoors, I love camping and going on hikes and it’s great that I’m now with someone who loves that too; someone I can share adventures with.

Katie’s not a girly girl who moans if she gets her hands dirty; she’s not bothered.

Katie: I should have been in Emmerdale, not Corrie because I adore the outdoor life and grew up with horses

It’s strange though because where I’m from there’s a place called Hollingworth Lake I would go to if I needed some peace and quiet. The last time I went there before I met Ricky I was thinking ‘I can't wait to meet someone and bring them here’. It was a real pinch me moment when we went and we were sitting there together.

Ricky: I haven't taken Katie fishing yet because it's been so cold, but that's next on the agenda, isn't it?

So what about future career plans?

Katie: I want to challenge myself; I did a Peter James theatre tour last year - I’d never done one before and was super nervous - but I absolutely loved it. I want to try different things.

I’d really love to do comedy; something fun and lighthearted or maybe a gritty drama, something I can sink my teeth into.

Ricky: I don't know if I would do a reality show again, particularly if it was delving into my private life and creating stress and arguments. But I would definitely go into other sorts of TV work - Katie thinks I should get into acting, I help her with self tapes and running lines - and I’ve also done a few bits over the years but am not entirely confident. I like to be challenged and to go outside my comfort zone.

Katie: I think he’s definitely got something, he’s very charismatic and great with accents.

What are each other’s best and worst qualities?

Katie: Ricky’s best trait is that he is really calm and always finds solutions to a problem, which I love. He’s practical and logical but also really romantic. I’m struggling to find a bad trait. He’s a brilliant cook but always leaves a mess in the kitchen.

Ricky: Katie is really, really caring but the flip side is she can care too much - she’s a perfectionist and her own worst critic. But I guess that’s not really a bad thing.

Might we hear wedding bells soon?

Ricky: I’m afraid that’s for me to know and everyone else to find out! It's only been six months as well, so we'll see, but it’s looking positive

Katie: I’ve never thought about a proposal before - it's not something I’ve dreamed about like other girls. But we are very happy - the happiest I’ve been - and Ricky is very romantic. I know that he would pull out all the stops.

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