MAFS' Ella Morgan breaks silence on split from famous boyfriend amid latest relationship step

Ella Morgan has declared that the year ahead is 'a men-free zone' as she focuses on her career and admits she finally 'loves herself as a person', not just 'what's on the outside'

Whether she’s popping to the shops or walking down an A-list-filled red carpet, there’s no question Ella Morgan is going to look fabulous doing it. And while the 31-year-old reality star may always appear top dollar, she exclusively tells OK! that now, she finally feels it on the inside, too. “I feel like I love myself as a person now, rather than just loving what’s on the outside,” says Ella as we grab her for an exclusive chat at the recent Attitude 101 event, which celebrates those making a difference in the LGBTQ+ community.

Wearing a beautiful satin corset and middle-slit maxi skirt, the former MAFS star continues, “I’ve loved all of this for a while, but now I’m really feeling like the love is all over. I feel like this is my year, actually.” Nothing short of a trailblazer herself, Ella made history when she became the first transgender person to appear on both Married At First Sight in 2023 and Celebs Go Dating the following year.

After being hailed as an icon on both shows, Ella says she’s not afraid to live up to the label any more. “I do feel lucky that the public seems to have embraced me. Out of everyone from MAFS, I always get told, ‘You’re the one people remember and the icon. That’s why you’ve done other things’ – those aren’t my words. I used to feel bad when people said that because of everyone else on the show, and I don’t want to big myself up. But now, actually, it’s going to sound really cocky, but I deserve that.

“Reality shows and TV in general have so many white, cisgender, straight men and women, while we as trans people don’t get enough visibility. “And actually, when people say to me, ‘You’re too big for your boots, you get all the praise,’ I deserve that praise because, as a trans person, I have to fight more than most people. We don’t get that visibility, so I deserve the recognition that I’ve worked really hard for.”

Ella continues that while there’s been plenty of positive praise, she’s also been victim to some negativity too. “I also got the most hate out of everyone on the shows I’ve done. I’ve always been hated for being me, and then others haven’t. People on reality shows are disliked for things they’ve said or done, but I’ve just been hated for my existence; for being Ella and being a trans person. Anyone who is trans in the public eye deserves success because we don’t get enough of it.”

Ella not only made an impression during her recent stint on Celebs Go Dating, but she also found romance on the show and left it smitten with Alex James Ali. However, after a six-month romance, the pair decided to call time on their relationship in December, something Ella confirmed in a statement shared to her Instagram page. She wrote, ‘’I’ve had a lot of questions over the last week or so regarding my relationship with Alex following the articles announcing we had split over Christmas.

“I was hoping to do this in my own time after the festive period so I could focus on spending time with my family. Unfortunately we made the decision to separate in December and I am so saddened by the decision, but it was the right thing to do to protect myself and, ultimately, for us to both be happy. I’m incredibly grateful for @celebsgodating and the amazing team who introduced us.”

Opening up on the break-up for the first time during our chat, the Bristol-born beauty admits she’s feeling happy in herself again. “I had to put out a statement about the break-up since people were asking, it wasn’t something I really wanted to do. But that’s the last time I’ll address it. [Alex and I] don’t have any contact, but I’m happy. I’ve started this year single, no men and career focused.”

As she says that 2025 is set to be a “no men” zone, we wonder whether that means a return to Celebs Go Dating is ruled out? Ella thinks about the question before confirming, “No, not for the minute. I don’t want to do any more dating shows right now, you never know, but not right now. This year is my year. The year of Ella.”

Alongside a dose of self-love for the year ahead, she is taking the pressure off herself while balancing being a role model in the trans community. “I feel like I have a responsibility to my community. Previously, I have felt so much pressure to not get anything wrong, to not say the wrong thing and not upset anyone.

“I feel like this year, I’m just going to do me; I’m not perfect, I’m not always going to get it right. But I’m taking that pressure off, I do things from the heart. My story is mine and I can’t talk for the community, but I can share my experience and hopefully inspire other people. “I just need to keep doing me and carry on fighting the fight. Good always wins in the end.”

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