Ferne McCann is trying to make her relationship with businessman Lorri Haines work after he was spotted seemingly with a small bag of white powder – which he claimed was a joke
The 31-year-old former The Only Way Is Essex star has been in a relationship with real estate worker Lorri since the beginning of the year and things have looked particularly rosy for the pair.
However, their romance hit a snag last month when footage emerged of Lorri with what looked like a bag of white powder – prompting many to fear he was using drugs.
Lorri himself has denied accusations he was taking drugs in the footage and laughed off the incident saying he was just “joking around” – but friends of Ferne are said to be worried for their future.
A source told Heat magazine that Ferne is, however, determined to make things work – and has suggested she is sweeping away her friends’ concerns.
The source said: “Ferne feels massively embarrassed by the whole situation. She says it’s a big misunderstanding.
“Her friends are begging her to just admit that he’s not the man she thought he was. But it seems like she’s in denial.
“She’s saying he’s come too far in the relationship to simply walk away.”
Ferne and Lorri were first linked in April and the reality star has posted gushing comments about their romance online.
In one instagram post shared at the beginning of February, she wrote: “When you least expect it, you could meet someone who will completely change your life forever.”
But their romance hit a stumbling block in mid-February when a video emerged showing Lorri, reportedly in Dubai where there are serious law against drug taking, posing with a small plastic bag which appeared to contain a white powder substance.
Although Lorri has insisted the footage was a joke, last week a source claimed Ferne was not reacting warmly to the reports.
A source told OK!: “Ferne was understandably devastated and really shook by the news.
“Even though Lorri says it’s just a joke, she has a zero tolerance for those types of jokes.”
The star herself has reaffirmed her romance with Lorri, however, posting a photo of herself with her arms around him to Instagram along with a caption reading: “That missing piece… My soul mate I love you.”
Ferne has not had the best luck when it has come to love in the past.
The reality star has a four-year-old daughter named Sunday who she shares with ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins – who was jailed in 2017 for orchestrating an acid attack on a London nightclub which left over a dozen people with injuries.
He was found guilty of five counts of grievous bodily harm and nine of actual bodily harm and jailed for 20 years – with an additional five years on license.
Meanwhile, her last relationship was with a model named Jack Padgett which collapsed last year as Jack allegedly dumped the reality star saying she was not “on brand” for her.
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