With Peter Andre

Personal happiness is something Peter Andre certainly doesn’t take for granted, because he’s too well aware it can be snatched away.

His turbulent marriage to model and celebrity Katie Price, much of which was played out in public on a reality TV series, ended in a bitter divorce five years ago and two years ago he suffered the anguish of losing his brother to cancer.

But today the 41-year-old TV presenter, singer and personality says: “Although you wish for happiness you never really know whether it is going to happen so honestly at one time I didn’t think I would ever be as happy as I am now. It’s amazing to be so content.”

He credits Emily MacDonagh, 25, his fiancee with helping him learn to love again, and giving him the family life he craved with their daughter, one-year-old Amelia, as well as his two children from his four-year marriage to Price, Junior, nine, and Princess, seven.

The couple, who live in East Grinstead, Sussex, met five years ago after Emily’s surgeon father, Dr Ruaraidh MacDonagh performed a kidney stone operation on the 60 Minute Makeover TV presenter and introduced him to his family.

Tragedy almost destroyed their romance, however, as only two months after they started dating in 2012 Andre’s brother, Andrew, 54, died of kidney cancer.

“For a long while I was in complete turmoil with a whole mix of emotions – so sad, angry, bitter, scared and unable to deal with the loss. I’ve never experienced pain like that before. I also became almost a commitment-phobe because I just couldn’t bear the thought of potentially losing someone again,” he admits.

He’s very concerned to ensure that his children aren’t affected by the world of celebrity. “We never use the words famous or celebrity with them because they’re artificial words really. Instead I just try to tell the kids we’re privileged to be in the position we’re in because I’m on television. Losing my brother really brought home to me how precious time is and how you should make the most of every minute, and never take things for granted. If I can teach my kids that, I’ll be happy.”