[Red Moon]

I AM IN LOVE WITH MARC

Overjoyed Cerys Matthews and Marc Bannerman last night admitted they have fallen hopelessly in love.

Smitten Cerys gushed: "Yes, I'm in love with Marc and I think he feels the same."

And she said when they'd kissed under the stars "it was a thunderbolt moment".

She added: "We wanted to do more, but it wasn't the right time or place."

Marc said his relationship with actress Sarah Matravers was on the rocks BEFORE the jungle show.

And he added: "Sarah was not suitable. My heart tells me I need to be with Cerys.

"I hope to have children and settle down with the right woman. I think Cerys is that woman. When love hits you what can you do?"

The pair are now looking forward to their first private date together.

Cerys, 38, said Ex-EastEnders star Marc would be visiting her - and they planned an evening of red wine and pizza together. She said: "I can't wait to show him around Wales - he's only been to Abergavenny." The lovebirds expect to spend a romantic Christmas together.

Cerys said she thinks he is the man to make her life perfect - a far cry from seven years ago when she went into a downward spiral and was smoking heroin daily.

The singer admitted they went too far in the jungle in Australia because she knew he had a girlfriend. But she insists neither of them intended to hurt Sarah.

After leaving the jungle camp, Cerys had a 30-minute phone call with Marc who was at his home in Kent.

During the talk they poured out their feelings for each other. The mum of two said: "Marc told me how bad he felt about Sarah - we both do. I feel guilty because I never wanted to cause hurt."

Marc, 34, said he began having difficulties with Sarah because of her desire for children - while he wasn't sure about starting a family with her.

But he said he could not help his feelings for Cerys. "I don't know what love at first sight is - but I had the most intense feelings," he confessed.

Last night, Cerys was too loved-up to attend the boozy end-of-series bash, preferring to stay in her hotel room contemplating her new life with Marc.

Another partygoer said: "All the celebs were talking about them. The girls agreed that they didn't want to see Cerys hurt - but most of the boys thought they should now get together."

Show runner-up Janice Dickinson, 53, said: "I feel sorry for Marc's girlfriend.

"Nevertheless this happened right here before us, the start of something that could be really beautiful.

"Cerys was overwhelmed with the news from Marc in the letter he sent into camp. And who predicted it? - Janice and her Cupid's arrow, of course."

Janice said: "There's a whole lot of reachy reachy, touchy touchy that can take place in a hammock and they were in the hammock every night. He followed her everywhere.

"Marc fibbed and told me he was 24.

That would make Cerys a bit of a cougar. What's a cougar? In the States a cougar is an older cat who goes after the younger boys."

Cerys - who had a string of hits with Catatonia in the 1990s - divorced American music producer Seth Riddle only last month.

She moved back to Wales to be near her family. Her brother Richard, 35, believes the torment of the broken marriage drove her into Marc's arms.

Richard, a Formula One engineer, said: "We are praying she doesn't get hurt again."

Source: Sunday People