I holiday with Gary’s ex & their kids, says Laura Anderson – friends warned it could be ‘toxic’ but here’s why it works

BEING mates with your ex’s ex sounds like a recipe for disaster. And when Laura Anderson formed an unlikely bond with former boyfriend Gary Lucy’s ex-wife, friends were quick to judge, with some warning them it could end in tears. Laura Anderson has formed an unlikely bond with former boyfriend Gary Lucy’s ex-wife Natasha Credit: Instagram/lauraanderson Laura says it helps her friendship with Natasha that there was no overlap in their relationships with Gary Credit: INSTAGRAM/LAURA ANDERSON But while many felt their relationship had the potential to turn “toxic”, their shared history – and the children they have with actor Gary – helped a genuine friendship between Love Island star Laura and Natasha Lucy to blossom. With Laura’s two-year-old daughter Bonnie and her four half-siblings at the heart of it, they have built a connection so strong that last month the mums and all five children headed off on holiday to Turkey together. As they posted happy family snaps from Antalya, it was dubbed the “ultimate revenge” on ex-Hollyoaks star Gary, 44, who was reportedly “distraught” at the joint trip. However, Laura, 37, denies that the getaway was designed to goad Gary.“There’s no drama, just a united family made up of two strong mummies with Bonnie the glue holding us together,” she says. “It might be weird to other people, but to us it’s not. “Some people don’t understand that, because it’s taboo to be friends with your ex’s ex. Some of our best friends told us it was going to be toxic and that we shouldn’t trust each other.” Research shows the majority of Brits – 61 per cent – would feel uncomfortable with the idea of a partner being pally with an ex. While Laura and Natasha’s friendship might be unusual, the Scottish-born star says it helps that there was no overlap in their relationships with Gary. Laura has described Natasha – who is mum to India, 21, Elvis, 15, Sadie, 11 and Theodore, seven – as her ‘rock’ Credit: Getty Laura denies that the getaway was designed to goad Gary and insists there’s ‘no drama’ Credit: Instagram/lauraanderson “Neither of us have done anything wrong – it’s not like I met Gary when he and Natasha were still together,” says Laura. “We both fell in love with the same man at different times and had beautiful children with him who are now going to be connected forever.” Gary, who also starred in Footballers’ Wives, has been largely absent from Bonnie’s life following his turbulent romance with Laura, which began in 2022 on the set of Celebs Go Dating. Laura discovered she was expecting Bonnie just a few months into the on-off relationship, but the couple broke up during the pregnancy. They briefly reunited after her birth, before splitting permanently. Since then, relations have been rocky, with Laura branding Gary a “deadbeat dad”. In June 2024, she publicly slammed him for only visiting his daughter once that year, while in 2025 she took a swipe at him on Father’s Day, posting, “Cheers to the single mums that feel s*** for their kids on Father’s Day.” Laura has since described Natasha – who is mum to India, 21, Elvis, 15, Sadie, 11 and Theodore, seven – as her “rock”. She says: “When I was with Gary, Natasha was always lovely. She’d ask me to do Sadie’s hair, she bought Bonnie a Christmas present, and she brought me flowers at Christmas, too. There was a mutual respect and understanding from the get-go.” As they posted happy family snaps from Antalya, it was dubbed the ‘ultimate revenge’ on ex-Hollyoaks star Gary Credit: Instagram/lauraanderson Laura has been single since her 18-month romance with footballer Clark Robertson, 32, ended in March Credit: PA When the couple split for good after Bonnie’s birth, their bond grew even stronger. Laura says: “There was a lot of back and forth with Gary and I during my pregnancy and after Bonnie was born. That was something I found very difficult to deal with, and I became closer to Natasha because she understood what it was like. “She left Gary when she was nine months pregnant with Theodore, so she knew what I was going through.” Nevertheless, going on holiday together felt like a big step, and Laura admits she was initially nervous. “I was scared to ask because I didn’t want Natasha to feel like she had to say yes,” she says. “But straightaway she accepted, and it was one of the best holidays I’ve ever had. I could feel the love, not just for Bonnie, but for me as well. I felt so included in their family.” While the vast majority of social media comments about the holiday have been positive, one person has been conspicuously silent. Neither Laura nor Natasha – who split from Gary in 2018 after 14 years, just weeks before giving birth to Theodore – have heard anything directly from their ex, except for a couple of not-so-cryptic social media posts which appeared to be digs at Laura. “I don’t follow him, people don’t send me stuff he posts anymore, and I don’t really check online,” she says. “Because I’m so sure of myself as a person and a mum, I don’t have to question my intentions at all.” Laura discovered she was expecting Bonnie just a few months into the on-off relationship Credit: Instagram/lauraanderson Gary had turbulent romance with Laura, which began in 2022 on the set of Celebs Go Dating Credit: Getty Asked when Gary last saw Bonnie, who turns three next month, she pauses to think. “He saw her when she was four months old, which was the last time we were at his place,” she says. “And he saw her for two hours in the summer of 2024. Nothing since then apart from a couple of Facetimes, which I asked for. “The door has always been open. Bonnie knows who her dad is and if Gary wanted to see her, he could and he would.” Laura says she feels “numb” rather than angry about the lack of contact. “My only consideration is Bonnie,” she says. “I’ll do whatever I think is going to be beneficial for her. We all know our childhood affects who we are as adults, and it’s scary to think that the person I love the most could be negatively impacted by the absence of her father. I don’t want her to feel rejected. “But I’ve had to suppress my anger and frustration and focus on being happy and present as a mum. Gary is well aware that he can see his daughter whenever he wants – and financially support her, if he ever chooses to do that.” Laura has been single since her 18-month romance with footballer Clark Robertson, 32, ended in March. He has since moved to Brunei to play in the Malaysian Super League, but the two of them are still in touch and Laura isn’t ruling out a reconciliation. “We still chat and I’m not looking to meet anyone else,” she says. “I still love him, Bonnie adores him and I’m not sure what the future holds. “Clark made some mistakes that he’s paid for, but I really lost myself during that break-up. “I lost a lot of weight and took a step back from my socials because I was in a bad place. “I’ve been quietly rebuilding myself, but I still believe in love and it would be nice to have that family set up.” In the meantime, Laura continues to juggle motherhood and work. Eight years on from finishing runner-up in the fourth series of Love Island, she’s just finished two weeks’ cover on Breakfast at Heart Scotland and is due to return for another stint at the station in October. She’s also working on a series of children’s books and she intends to keep banging the drum for single mums. “I think there’s still a lot of shame around the label of single mum, but without sounding cheesy, I’ve turned it into my superpower. It’s my biggest accomplishment. When I look at Bonnie and she’s happy, healthy and thriving, the only person who can take credit for that, without blowing my own trumpet, is me.”