Melanie Sykes says she feels unsafe during walks and 'needs a bodyguard' (2025)

Melanie Sykes says she never experienced this kind of unwanted attention until she was single.

TV personality Melanie Sykes has revealed that she now feels the need for a bodyguard due to the unwanted attention she often receives from men, even while simply walking her dog. The 54-year-old star shared her concerns about her safety, especially when she’s alone.

Speaking candidly on her YouTube channel, Melanie explained that she had did not experience this kind of unwanted attention when she was in relationships and joked that a bodyguard would be 'cheaper' than a partner for protection.

She said: “I’d rather pay for somebody to have my back...It’s cheaper than most partners I’ve had."

Reflecting on the change she’s felt in recent months, Melanie continued: “I need a security detail when I go somewhere. It’s something I’ve suddenly realised in the past six months is what I need. When you are married and you’re out and about, or you are with a man, people don’t bother you and ask inappropriate questions. They speak to the bloke, and I have had that a million times.”

She went on to explain how the situation has changed since becoming single, admitting she now feels uncomfortable walking alone. “Still I can’t go on big long walks on my own with my dog. It’s just not possible for me as a single woman. I wouldn’t do it.”

Melanie expressed the risks she faces when being recognised and approached by strangers, sharing how quickly situations can escalate: “The risk of being recognised and then... the amount of stuff that’s happened to me after being approached by someone I don’t want to speak to and then how very quickly the man is pissed off. You’re immediately in danger because you’ve crossed a barrier.”

Melanie Sykes shared her thoughts on single life, revealing she is "very happily" single and doesn't feel the need for a partner. The TV star, a mother to sons Roman and Valentino from her first marriage to actor Daniel Caltagirone, says she finds all the fulfilment she needs in her two boys and her cherished corgi, Porchie.

"I don’t have nor want a partner," Melanie declared.

“Some people have their partners. I don’t have nor want a partner. You’d have to be someone pretty f **ing extraordinary for me to even notice you. But it isn’t a criteria or priority for me, so I’d rather pay for somebody to have my back and then I don’t have to negotiate for that person either. It’s cheaper than most partners I’ve had. It’s a necessity, it really is.”

Mel's candid comments reflect her contentment with her current lifestyle, prioritising her family over the pressure of being in a relationship.

The 54-year-old's past relationships have had their share of challenges. She and Daniel married in 2001, but their relationship ended in 2008, with a divorce finalised the following year.

In 2013, she married 27-year-old roofer Jack Cockings after meeting on Twitter, but their marriage ended in November of that year after a dispute led to Mel being cautioned for common assault. The caution was later withdrawn, and the incident was removed from official records.

Melanie has since addressed the incident, saying: “I’m not a violent person, I’m not capable of it.” She and Jack separated after just seven months, but their divorce wasn’t finalised until 2016.

Reflecting on her time with Jack, Melanie said the hardest part was “Being married to the wrong person.” However, she added that by the time their divorce was finalised, she had been “fine for quite a few years.”