Carol Vorderman bags internet tycoon toyboy 13 years her junior

Former Countdown host Carol, 50, met suave Mark Hadley six weeks ago at celeb hangout Scott’s in London’s Mayfair.
Mark, 37 – who made a fortune in the dotcom boom – got chatting to Carol during a meal out with her pals Ultimo lingerie boss Michelle Mone and X Factor vocal coach Yvie Burnett.
The pair hit it off so well that Mark asked Carol if he could join her for that night’s ­recording of Later... With Jools Holland at BBC ­Television Centre. They were spotted laughing and joking at a VIP table during the show.

Twice-married Carol and Mark, who is single, swapped numbers and have since been on a second date. They lingered over a long lunch at ­Japanese restaurant Roka in central London two weeks ago – and friends say they have made plans to meet up again.
On the day of the lunch, mother-of-two Carol wrote on her Twitter page: “Morning lovelies. Have a hippy happy sunny Friday... a very cheeky day ahead xx * smiles through tired eyes *”
Mark, who is a director of three ­technology and property companies, is originally from New Zealand but has lived in London for several years.

He is ­understood to have bought a new home recently in an area of ­Chelsea where ­houses regularly sell for ­upwards of ­€2million. A source said: “Mark is something of an ­entrepreneur. He made a fortune riding the ­dotcom boom and has ­invested well since.
“He lives a bit of a ­playboy lifestyle.Loads of Mark’s friends know he’s been seeing Carol.
“It’s early days, it’s not serious, but they make each other laugh and they have a real giggle when they’re out together.
“They’ll ­probably see each other again soon.”
Carol has been ­married previously to Navy ­officer Christopher Mather and ­management consultant Patrick King, father of her ­children Katie, 19, and Cameron, 13. The maths expert – who admitted she worked too hard at the peak of her ­Countdown fame – has told how she is “playing” more than ever since ­turning 50.
She said: “I have got the balance right for the first time in my life. I play much more than I used to. When you have done 30 years of telly, that’s enough.”