Actress Patsy Kensit has taken a playful swipe at ex-husband Liam Gallagher as she opens up about her own heartbreaks - and reveals how Brits can finally wipe away their exes for good. The former EastEnders star says she's drawing on her famous break-ups, including her turbulent marriage to the Oasis frontman, to help others move on from their romantic pasts.
A new poll of 2,000 adults found Brits spend nearly six days a year wishing they could undo certain life choices - from regrettable tattoos and dodgy home haircuts to cringeworthy social media posts and saying no to spontaneous adventures. But relationships are a particular point of regret with many admitting they hung on to the wrong partner for too long or gave an ex one too many chances.
To help heal the heartbreak, nearly half (48 per cent) have erased every trace of an ex online - from Instagram snaps to WhatsApp chats. For 62 per cent, deleting photos and messages proved cathartic, with 12 per cent doing it on the very day of the split. In fact, it's estimated that a staggering 1.6 billion photos of exes have been wiped from the nation's digital albums.
Classic break-up rituals include tearing up old photos, binning clothes (16 per cent), and cropping exes out of pictures (13 per cent). On average, it takes three to four months to get over a break-up - though one in 10 say it takes more than a year to move on.
The research, commissioned by Samsung to mark the launch of its Galaxy S25 FE and its new AI-powered Generative Edit feature, comes as the tech giant teams up with Patsy Kensit for a tongue-in-cheek video. In it, Patsy encourages the heartbroken to chuck out their ex's clothes, turn off the sad music, and hit 'delete' on unwanted mementos.
The actress and singer said: "I've been through my fair share of heartbreaks, so I know how crucial it is to move forward without the weight of the past holding you back.
"Letting go of lingering reminders like old texts, photos, or mementos really allows you to step into your future with confidence. Sometimes, the bravest act is simply hitting erase and choosing yourself."
Top tips for moving on include spending time with friends and family (18 per cent), focusing on hobbies or self-care (17 per cent), and cutting all contact with an ex (15 per cent). Others recommend reflecting on the relationship (10 per cent), letting go (nine per cent), and getting back into dating (five per cent).
But regret still lingers for many, with 47 per cent struggling to come to terms with past decisions. Nearly half dwell on 'what if' scenarios, while more than a third say they can't forget things they can't change - and for 30 per cent, friends never let them live it down.
Annika Bizon, VP of mobile experience at Samsung, said: "Our research reveals that 48 per cent of Brits have digitally removed traces of past relationships, with some even hesitant to scroll through old memories.
"With the Generative Edit feature [...] you can effortlessly manage and curate your photographs, making it easier to move forward."
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