Andy Carroll grows close to Harry Styles’ pal Lou Teasdale after his split from wife Billi Mucklow – with the makeup artist even visiting him at his new home in France

Footballer Andy Carroll has grown close to One Direction’s former make up artist Lou Teasdale following the shock split from his wife.

MailOnline can reveal that the former England star and Lou – a close friend of Harry Styles – have been spending time together in recent weeks.

It comes after Andy and TOWIE star Billie Mucklow secretly split in July after two years of marriage. She is understood to be aware of her estranged husband’s new friendship.

Sources say Lou, 40, has visited Carroll in Bordeaux where he now plays for the French side FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

One told MailOnline: ‘Lou is really cool and arty, Andy is former footballer who has got himself in many a scrape but they have met and get on really well.

It comes after Andy and TOWIE star Billie Mucklow secretly split in July after two years of marriage. She is understood to be aware of her estranged husband’s new friendship

‘They have been seen together on more than one occasion and she has also been to France to see him.

‘Billi is aware and has been telling her friends about them.

‘You do have to wonder what Andy and Lou have in common, they come from completely different worlds, but they get on really great.

‘Whatever you say about Andy, he is a very handsome man so it’s not surprising that Lou wants to spend so much time with him.

It is not known how they met but they do follow one another on Instagram. Carroll also follows a number of Lou’s friends, including Louis Tomlinson and his sister Lottie.

She also has a private account where there are understood to have been pictures of her and Carroll.

Carroll and Billie, 36, secretly separated earlier this year following two years of turbulent marriage.

They tied the knot in June 2022 in a lavish Hampshire ceremony at the £1700-per night Four Seasons shortly after the Carroll was snapped passed out in bed between TWO blondes during his raucous Dubai stag-do.

Sources say Lou has visited Carroll in Bordeaux where he now plays for the French side FC Girondins de Bordeaux (Andy is pictured making his debut last week)

MailOnline can reveal that the former England star and Lou – a close friend of Harry Styles – have been spending time together in recent weeks

Carroll and Billie, 36, secretly separated earlier this year following two years of turbulent marriage

In a statement, Carroll said: ‘Billi and I have privately separated earlier this year and we are under way with our divorce proceedings.

‘It has been a hard few months for our family and we continue to move forward amicably for our children.’

They have three children together – Arlo, eight, Wolf, five, and a three-year-old daughter named Marvel.

Carroll has two children from a previous relationship – Emilie Rose, 14, and Lucas, 13.

Meanwhile, last year Lou split from her boyfriend Jay Morton – star of SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Lou also has a daughter named Lux Aitkin from her relationship with Tom Aitkin. Lux, now 13, has her own Instagram account which has over one million followers.

There were numerous rumours that Lou and 1D heartthrob Harry had dated but she denied it, insisting that they are close friends. Lux even refers to the singer as ‘Uncle Harry.’

Lou was also one of the late Caroline Flack’s closest friends. She spent the night with the Love Island host the night before she took her own life in February 2020 as her friend and family worried for her welfare.

She is also close to Lottie Tomlinson, the sister of One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson who is now engaged to Flack’s ex, Lewis Burton.