jen metcalfeLONDON - ‘Hollyoaks’ babe Jennifer Metcalfe has finally opened up on why she broke up with footballer beau Jermaine Pennant, and about the new man in her life.

The sizzling actress, who pulled the plug on her relationship with Pennant in May, has confessed that they had acted like a pair of “idiots”.

“The problem wasn’t that Jermaine and I didn’t get on, because we did. We were like best mates together,” the Daily Star quoted her as saying:

Jennifer, 26, added: “He’s a great guy and we still chat. We get on so well as friends. But as a couple we never got anything done. We were just like idiots.”

Jermaine, 26, has just completed a transfer to Spanish club Real Zaragoza, where he will earn 45,000 pounds a week.

But despite managing to stay friends, the Bradford-born beauty, who plays saucy minx Mercedes McQueen in the hit Channel 4 soap, has no intention of flying out to see him.

“I’ve just started seeing someone so it wouldn’t be fair on him if I flew out to Spain,” she confessed.

“But I have spoken to Jermaine about his move to Spain and I am genuinely really happy for him. I need someone who is more stable, someone who will look after me.

“I had to take the ‘look after’ role with Jermaine and it just isn’t me.

“I can’t even look after myself. So as boyfriend and girlfriend it just didn’t work. We split up and got back together again because of how well we got on as mates. But in the end a decision had to be made and it’s definitely been for the best,” she added.

Talking of her new relationship, she said: “It’s all very casual. He’s a lovely guy - an absolute breath of fresh air. He’s not anyone famous, just an ordinary guy.” (ANI)