BBC One Show's Christine Bleakley has split from her boyfriend Mark Beirne.

Friends say she is "shocked and devastated" after leisure entrepreneur Mr Beirne, 35, dumped her after a three-year relationship. But she carried on as normal to present the evening magazine programme last night with her colleague Adrian Chiles.

Mr Beirne has now put the home they were intending to share up for sale.

Bleakley, 29, who was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, has been linked with Chiles after he split from his wife, Radio Four Woman's Hour presenter Jane Garvey, last June.

At the time, the pair were seen meeting at a London flat soon after the separation and since are reported to have been trying to dodge photographers at the Royal Variety Show and at Mahiki.

Both Chiles and Bleakley have insisted there is nothing more between them than friendship.

Bleakley, originally from Newtownards near Belfast, also told of Mr Beirne's devotion to her while she was performing on Strictly, saying he came to London from Belfast for every recording.

This month Bleakley, who was previously engaged to Dublin businessman Christian Stokes, appeared on the show wearing a Tiffany platinum band on her wedding finger. But she said she had bought it herself and it did not fit her other fingers.

Her spokesman confirmed the split with Mr Beirne and said there was no one else involved.

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