Steven Bartlett has offered a rare glimpse into his relationship, saying his girlfriend will “live until she’s 150” because of her dietary habits. During a recent chat with Simon Mills on the Diary Of A CEO podcast, the natural remedy specialist discussed the health benefits of a sweet treat — dark chocolate.
Simon claimed that consuming 50g–100g of dark chocolate at 75% cocoa or above represents “one of the best medicines around”. This prompted Steven to share details about his girlfriend Melanie Vaz Lopes’ eating and drinking habits.
Steven, known for his role on Dragons’ Den, remarked: “Do you know what? I’ve just realised my girlfriend, she’s going to live until she’s 150 because she… all she eats — 90% or something, 80% dark chocolate. She drinks green tea all day.”
Simon responded by saying that she should be “stepping in” for the entrepreneur before pointing out the extra benefits of cocoa for both brain and cardiovascular health.
Healthline writes that the antioxidants in dark chocolate may indeed boost brain health and improve cardiovascular health, although it notes that more evidence is required. It also advises that it should be eaten in moderation, as it can contain high levels of sugar and calories.
The discussion revealed more about Melanie, whom he describes as “spiritual.” She operates a business called Bali Breathwork, which, according to its website, provides a “blend of ancient wisdom and modern science.”
Among the services provided at Melanie’s enterprise are breathwork (breathing techniques purported to boost health), inner dance, cacao ceremonies (cacao comes from the same bean as cocoa), sacred rituals, workshops, and retreats.
Steven, who appears on Dragons’ Den alongside Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones, is understood to generally maintain privacy around his personal affairs, though he has been known to discuss details about Melanie on his podcast.
A lifestyle influencer hailing from Bordeaux, France, Melanie seems to share her partner’s entrepreneurial drive, having also created a vegan cookbook and a fitness manual called Booty Academy.
She also has 136,000 followers on Instagram, where it’s understood she first connected with Steven in 2016, before their separation in 2017 and reconciliation in 2022, according to Hello!.
During an appearance on Tolly T’s podcast My Love Is…, Steven disclosed how they eventually reunited.
He revealed that she “flew to the other side of the world,” but he ultimately travelled there himself.
Steven said: “She flew to the other side of the world and lived in Bali for a year. I think as time went on, I reflected on that, I learnt more about things and life, and sex and relationships, and because she was such a special person, I realised that she was the one.”
In summary, he mentioned that he chose to travel to the Indonesian island to seek out his girlfriend and say “sorry to her”.