EastEnders actress Danniella Westbrook has said she is not bothered by gossip about the age gap between her and her 24-year-old boyfriend.
The former Celebrity Big Brother star said she gets "grief" on social media about her relationship but said she is too busy at home with partner George Arnold to care.
Westbrook, 42, told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I'm really happy with George. He may be 24 but he is 44 in his mind. He's completely different. I get so much grief on Instagram, people say 'he looks like your son' because my son is 19."
She confirmed the couple are trying to have a baby and plan to get married this year and when asked if she thought she drew more criticism because she is a woman with a younger partner, rather than the other way round, she said: "Yeah, if you read it and you're bothered by it but I'm too busy at home with George to be worried about it.
"People outside say it, a woman last night on Instagram said 'I would never go out with a boy the same age as my son' and I said 'That's okay darling because nobody is asking you to, so don't worry about it.' I'm quite happy."
The actress, who became a household name as Sam Mitchell in EastEnders, will soon be reunited with her on-screen brothers and mother when she returns to the soap after six years away.
It has already been confirmed that Ross Kemp, who played Grant, will join Steve McFadden as Phil to say goodbye to Dame Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell.
She said: "I'm super excited to go back, I'm super excited to have the boys back together, Ross and Steve, and obviously Barbara, to have the four of us back together, the original Mitchells, to get the four of us back together will be great."
Westbrook added she hopes to make it a permanent return, saying: "I would like to come back full time."
However, she said her taste for younger men means she is no longer interested in ex-husband Ricky Butcher, played by Sid Owen.
She said: "Ricky is way too old. Danny Dyer is too old for me now.
"I would like Darren Day to come in as my husband, I think he's a fabulous actor and I would love to see him in EastEnders, I think he would fit right in."