Olympic judo athlete and Celebrity Big Brother star Ashley McKenzie has married TikTok star Laura Melander Heitmann. The Commonwealth gold medalist tied the knot with Heitmann on Saturday.
The couple said "I do" in an intimate ceremony at Hvidovre Kirke in Copenhagen, Denmark, which is Heitmann's home country. Ashley wore a beige suit for the occasion, while Laura wore a white strapless lace dress.
McKenzie said he and Heitmann connected straight away, adding that part of that was because they both live with ADHD and understood each other in a way that not everyone does. He said navigating life together had only made them stronger as a couple, and that his wedding day was genuinely one of the best days of his life, adding he never had any doubts that Laura was the person he wanted to marry.
Heitmann said she and Ashley met through TikTok and had been on the same wavelength ever since. She said he was not only good-looking but also very funny, that he puts a smile on her face every day, and that she can't wait for them to keep making more memories together.
How they met
After connecting on TikTok, Ashley travelled to Denmark to meet Laura, only to find himself blocked when he arrived. Undeterred, he got another phone so he could message her, eventually convincing her to meet him for a coffee.
The couple, who both live with ADHD, immediately connected and went on to build a relationship across Denmark and the UK. Ashley proposed to Laura on Valentine's Day this year, and six months later they walked down the aisle.
McKenzie's career
Alongside his elite sporting career, McKenzie has built a career in entertainment, appearing on shows including Ex on the Beach and The Challenge. He competed on Celebrity Big Brother Series 10, finishing fifth in the live final.
Afterwards, he said he was "a bit gutted" about not winning but added that he had won in his own kind of mindset. The series was won by comedian Julian Clary, with television presenter Coleen Nolan finishing runner-up.
McKenzie also featured in his own BBC documentary, The Bad Boy Olympian, which detailed his rise in judo and his battle with ADHD. He has established a major presence on TikTok as a LIVE Pro, regularly broadcasting to his audience and frequently featuring among the platform's top LIVE creators.
He was previously in a long-term relationship with French judo champion and Olympic medalist Automne Pavia. The pair first grew close around 2012 to 2015 and welcomed a daughter named Lana-Rose in July 2017.
