Fearne Cotton has reportedly been left “shell shocked” over the reaction to a cheeky snap of her kissing her new boyfriend.

The Happy Place podcast host, 43, was spotted kissing TV director Elliot Hegarty, 53, while on a night out with friends in London earlier this month, eleven weeks after she announced her split from Jesse - who is the son of Rolling Stones Ronnie Wood - after 10 years of marriage. Fearne, who shares two children, Rex, 11, and Honey, 8, with Jesse, was photographed locking lips with the Rivals TV show director, who also split from his wife in December.

According to sources, Jesse was aware of Fearne’s blossoming relationship with Elliot, but friends revealed the TV star was “shell shocked” after the pictures of her clinch with hew new beau were published. One source close to the former couple told MailOnline that Fearne had “irritated” the famous Wood family, with her in-laws reportedly “hopeful that things could be more amicable” following the shock split.

The mother-of-two, who also shared stepchildren Arthur, 21, and Lola, 18, with Jesse, has been left reeling after the pictures of her and Elliot were published, as she had hoped to keep the romance out of the spotlight. One source told MailOnline that Fearne wanted to “share the happy news on social media herself”, while another claimed that the TV presenter wanted to make the new relationship “look a little more tasteful”.