Jess Impiazzi finds love again with major sports star after bitter split with ex Jermaine Pennant
JESS Impiazzi has found love again with a major sports star after her bitter split with ex Jermaine Pennant.
The actress, 34, is now dating Formula E driver Sam Bird, 37, and is said to be over the moon with the new romance.
Jess went public with the handsome British racing driver after they spent a romantic weekend together.
A source told The Sun: “Jess has been through these last few years but she’s now got a smile back on her face and that’s Sam’s doing.
“They’re really happy together.
“They’ve grown close over the last few months and it’s the right time to go public.”
The Sun have reached out to Jess’ rep for comment.
The TV personality took to Instagram on Sunday to share a string of loved-up snaps with her new man.
Jess looked smitten as she posed alongside Sam in a restaurant and enjoyed a trip to the zoo together.
She captioned the post: “Wholesome weekend of happiness. I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.”
Sam is currently driving for NEOM McLaren in Formula E.
Since 2014, he has won various titles including the FIA World Endurance Championship and the LMP2 class in 2015 with G-Drive Racing and finishing second in the LMGTE Pro class with AF Corse in 2016.
He has also competed in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since Season 1 (2014/15) of the championship, being one of the only drivers on the grid to do so.
As well as being one of the most successful drivers on the grid, claiming 11 wins, 26 podium places and 6 Pole Positions over the course of those nine seasons.
He previously said he turned his life around after having no drive, no hope and no cash.
In 2019, Sam said: “Formula E start at the perfect time for me. If truth be told at the start of 2014 I had nothing, absolutely nothing.
“I was in a one-bedroom flat in Hersham. I couldn’t afford my gas and electricity bills.
“There was one night where my heating had been shut off and I couldn’t afford my rent.
“I remember calling my mum in tears saying it’s over, can you help me out I need to go back to school and finish some qualifications.
“I’d decided to go back as a personal trainer, I needed to earn a living. I couldn’t afford anything.
“I’d had a meeting with former Virgin Racing boss, Alex Tai, but I didn’t hear anything for a few weeks.
“Then when he told me I’d got the drive that gave me a lifeline. I didn’t know how long Formula E would last or what would happen.
“Whether it was going to grow or fail. A lot of people at the time said it would be big for six months then fall of the face of the earth.
“But FE has defied the odds and grown into a spectacular form of motorsport and I’m really proud to have been there since the beginning.
“It gave me my livelihood back, it gave me my career back.”
This is the first time Jess has shared snaps of her new man and is her first relationship since her split from ex-footballer Jermaine, 41.
Jess opened up in February about her split from love rat ex Jermaine – saying: “I wouldn’t tolerate that again.”
Jess said she “gave everything” to the relationship – which ended after she was told he had spent the night with a dominatrix – but things happened that “weren’t acceptable”.
She said: “I think you learn lessons, don’t you, and I don’t think I’d ever tolerate anything remotely like that again.
“So maybe it was necessary so that, for my future, I don’t have anything like that ever again.”
The Sun on Sunday revealed in December how Ex on the Beach star Jess had ended her two-year relationship with Jermaine after she found he had been sending racy texts to other women.
Friends had also told her he had spent the night with a dominatrix while on a raucous stag do in Ibiza in May – three months before she was diagnosed with lupus.
Kind-hearted Jess gave skint Jermaine until January 31 to get back on his feet before leaving her Surrey flat, and he is now thought to be staying with a pal.
He had hoped to try to win Jess back in the few weeks they were still living under the same roof – but he appears to already be moving on.
He was spotted on a date with Hollywood actress Charlotte Kirk, 31.
