Jermain Defoe’s new lover has moved into his £3million mansion – just weeks after his ex-girlfriend moved out.
Paige Mallabourn-Edmondson travelled south following a whirlwind romance with the former footballer. The 29-year-old quit her job as a wedding planner after bosses at the five-star hotel where she worked suspended her after the relationship emerged.
They ordered Paige to stay away from the plush venue after a scathing review on Tripadvisor branded her a ‘marriage wrecker’. The post has since been removed at the hotel’s request.
Last week, the brunette left her home in Accrington, Lancashire, to start a new life with the former Spurs and England hotshot.
Defoe’s ex – Instagram influencer Alisha LeMay, 31 – only left the five-bedroom Hertfordshire mansion around October 20.
Jermain Defoe’s new lover Paige Mallabourn-Edmondson (left) has moved into his £3million mansion – just weeks after his ex-girlfriend moved out
Defoe’s ex – Instagram influencer Alisha LeMay (right), 31 – only left the
Defoe settled down in a whirlwind romance with Scottish beauty therapist Donna Tierney in 2021, before marrying in a £200K ceremony at Cliveden House in June 2022. They split just months later
A family friend said: ‘Paige is really happy to have moved in. It has been a difficult few months but everything is working out well.
READ MORE: Football star Jermain Defoe spotted kissing his new lover outside five star £1.2k-a-night hotel – just days after red carpet event with different girlfriend he left his wife for
‘From the first day they met, Defoe said that he had found his soulmate.
‘Once Paige quit her job, there wasn’t anything stopping her from moving down to be with Defoe.’
The pair met when Defoe – now a TV pundit and a coach – stayed at Crow Wood Hotel and Spa, in Burnley, where Paige worked in August.
Defoe, 41, began bombarding Paige with messages after she followed him on Instagram.
But hotel bosses slammed the relationship – claiming it was damaging its reputation.
Hotel bosses feared that Premier League clubs would stop booking rooms before their away clashes against Burnley FC – costing the business hundreds of thousands of pounds.
A friend said: ‘Her bosses were furious when they found out that Paige and Jermain were together.
‘They felt it was inappropriate that Paige had begun messaging a hotel guest.
‘They suspended her from her job as a wedding planner after a reviewer wrote ‘five-star hotel, my ar*e! How can it be five-star when the wedding planner is a marriage wrecker!’
The source added: ‘The hotel claimed her behaviour fell well short of the professional standards they expect from staff.
‘They said that Paige was wrong to start a relationship with a guest who she met while at work.
‘Paige thought this was unfair and that she has done nothing wrong. How many people meet their partners through work?
‘She did nothing inappropriate at work and she began dating Jermain after she split from her boyfriend.
‘Her bosses have also stated that staff going after professional footballers will put Premier League clubs off staying at the hotel.’
Defoe was spotted kissing Mallabourn-Edmondson outside the five-star £1,200-a-night Northcote Hotel (pictured) last month
Former Tottenham and England star Defoe was seen kissing wedding planner Paige Mallabourn Edmondson (pictured) outside the swanky Northcote Hotel near Clitheroe, Lancashire
Jermain Defoe was spotted kissing wedding planner Paige Mallabourn-Edmondson outside the swanky Northcote Hotel near Clitheroe, Lancashire last month
Paige later attended a disciplinary meeting, where she resigned.
The friend added: ‘Paige felt that she had no other alternative but to resign.
‘They she was wrong to be in a relationship with Defoe and made it impossible for her to stay in the role.
‘She loved her job as a wedding planner and there are going to a lot of unhappy brides and grooms.’
The pair were spotted hugging and kissing after Defoe whisked Paige away for a romantic birthday getaway at Northcote Hotel, in Langho, near Blackburn – buying her £10,000 Cartier watch as a gift. He has also bought her a £2,500 Dior bag and a Mini Countryman Cooper S.
The couple shared a kiss in the car park outside the Northcote Hotel
Defoe and Mallabourn-Edmondson are pictured walking together in the car park near the hotel
The friend added: ‘Paige and Jermain are really happy together and are enjoying being a couple.
‘Paige says Jermain is a really loving and kind person and isn’t worried about his love-rat reputation.
‘She has told friends that she judges people on how they treat her, and Jermain treats her like a princess.
‘Jermain is besotted and has told her that he knew from the first day they met, he wanted her to be the next Mrs Defoe.’
A spokesman for Crow Wood said they could not comment on the suspension but added that Paige was ‘no longer their responsibility.’ He also confirmed the hotel had contacted TripAdvisor to have the post removed.