Max George, the singer from The Wanted, is now in a relationship with former EastEnders star Maisie Smith, who is 13 years his junior. But back in 2010 he dated famous actress Michelle Keegan and they very nearly tied the knot.
Michelle and Max, who were 24 and 23 respectively at the time, started dating in 2010 and confirmed their romance in December. Not long before, Max had gushed to New! magazine: “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.”
Following their whirlwind courtship, George proposed only six months later in June 2011. Yet by January 2012, the couple axed their anticipated £250,000 glamour wedding amidst rumours of ‘hectic work schedules’. Insiders disclosed to the Mirror that the couple decided to ‘slow down’ the relationship after enduring a difficult few months.
There was also speculation of infidelity as Max faced accusations of kissing another woman during a Newcastle night out. Max has opened up about the apparent kiss photo controversy with Michelle, asserting that they had split before the picture emerged, hence he was single at the time.
Following her split from Max, Michelle moved on with Mark Wright from TOWIE, tying the knot in 2015 after a whirlwind romance, while Max has not heard Michelle speak publicly about their split. Michelle and Mark have gone from strength to strength and have announced they are expecting their first child together in 2025.
Max is also happily in a relationship with former soap star Maisie, they first crossed paths on Strictly in 2020 and were initially just friends. However, love blossomed between Max, 36, and Maisie, 23, during the Strictly tour in 2022. After several romantic holidays where they reportedly ‘fell in love’, the couple decided to move in together.
This swift move came just weeks after Max’s break up with Stacey Giggs. Max has described his relationship with Maisie as ‘the best thing he’s ever done’, while Maisie has likened their romance to a movie, reports the Mirror.
It’s therefore unsurprising that she’s standing by him after Max disclosed the shocking news that he was hospitalised this week due to feeling extremely unwell. Tests revealed he has ‘some issues’ with his heart and may require surgery, which could mean spending Christmas in hospital.
This could also affect the couple’s scheduled performance as Parson Nathaniel and wife Beth in Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds ‘The Spirit of Man’ arena tour in 2025, where they portray a married couple. While Max has stated that he and Maisie ‘won’t be getting married yet’, he did come close to tying the knot a few years ago.
