Matt Cardle discusses swapping messages with Meghan Markle about ‘going on a date’

Matt Cardle has described exchanging messages with Meghan Markle about going on a date as ‘a very weird situation’.

According to The Sun on Sunday, the X Factor winner, 37, swapped messages with the former Suits actress, 39, back in 2015 after she followed him on social media due to his performance in the West End show Memphis.

Speaking about their exchange, Matt said: ‘It was just a very weird situation — very odd. And I really don’t know how it came about.

‘Life’s got a course and I was not on that one. I’ve laughed about it, but it’s amazing thinking back.’

However, it was not meant to be for the pair as Matt began dating his now girlfriend Amber Hernaman, 29, before he got the chance to meet Meghan. 

Meanwhile, she would go on to meet Prince Harry the following summer, with the couple marrying in May 2018. 

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Meghan Markle for comment.

Texts: According to The Sun, Matt, 37, swapped messages with Meghan, 39, back in 2015 after she followed him on social media due to his performance in the West End show Memphis

Matt previously spoke about his contact with Meghan during an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine in 2019.

Discussing their correspondence, he said: ‘It was so little then and if not nothing now. Yeah, like I say it was nothing, it was absolutely nothing. It’s quite funny how something can be made up from nothing.’

Meghan and Matt started chatting online when Meghan was recently divorced from her first husband Trevor Engelson.

It was previously claimed that Matt was ‘very flattered’ when she said they should meet up, but ‘ended up ghosting her’ when he met his girlfriend, a source said.  

Matt said: ‘Life’s got a course and I was not on that one. I’ve laughed about it, but it’s amazing thinking back’ (pictured in June 2018)

Matt was crowned the winner of The X Factor in 2010, beating out One Direction and Rebecca Ferguson in the final.

The singer described living in the house with all the other contestants during the show as ‘claustrophobic’ and said they often made each other ill.

He said: ‘We were all getting ill and giving each other colds. At this moment ten years ago I’d had the flu, tonsillitis, bronchitis, laryngitis, — everything. I was an absolute mess. I don’t know how I managed to get through it.’

Matt admitted he had steroid injections while on the show to get him ‘moving’ and he came very close to quitting after he was told if he missed one of the Saturday shows he would be out of the competition. 

Royal: Meghan would go on to meet Prince Harry the following summer, with the couple marrying in May 2018 (pictured in 2018)

He reached number one on the charts with his debut single When We Collide while his album Letters went to number two. 

However, his follow up singles Starlight and Amazing reached 185 and 84 in the charts respectively and Matt was dropped by Simon Cowell’s record label Syco in 2012.

Matt said there was no communication with the company after being dropped however he did bump into Simon at the premiere of a musical and said it was ‘all right’. 

The Southampton native said he believes more should be done to help participants of reality shows after they are let back out into the real world. 

Fame: Matt was crowned the winner of The X Factor in 2010, beating out One Direction and Rebecca Ferguson in the final (pictured in 2010)

Matt said there were some people who would check in on the contestants afterwards in a general sense but added he was not prepared for how sudden fame would impact his life. 

Struggling to come to terms with fame led Matt to an addiction to prescription drugs, followed by a stint in rehab centre The Priory in 2013.

Matt now believes his rehab stay was a ‘life-saving move’ and he has since kicked his dependence on prescription drugs and has also cut back on his drinking. 

The singer lives with his girlfriend Amber, a project manager for the Royal College of Physicians, in London and has finished writing his latest album.

Couple: The singer lives with his girlfriend Amber Hernaman, a project manager for the Royal College of Physicians, in London (pictured in 2016)

He had been hoping to go on tour this year before the coronavirus pandemic and now hopes to release his album in 2021.   

Matt met Amber in 2015 and said it was great to have her support through his sobriety journey.

Matt said he hasn’t spoken to his former X Factor co-star Harry Styles for some time but did bump into him a while ago in his local pub and said he seemed well.

The singer added that he now considers The X Factor to have been an amazing experience and he left the show with good friends. 

Pals: Matt said he hasn’t spoken to his former X Factor co-star Harry Styles for some time but did bump into him a while ago in his local pub and said he seemed well (pictured in February 2020)