IT started out as an innocent TikTok video – posted on a fan account – showing Declan Rice canoodling with his long-term partner Lauren Fryer.
But days later, unfounded accusations linking Rice to an X Factor popstar began appearing in the suggested search bar below it – vicious rumours fuelled by a greedy social media algorithm.
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While many of the bonkers headlines that appear on the app – including ‘Tom Cruise dead’ and ‘Katie Price confirms pregnancy’ – are obviously fabricated by clickbait-hungry AI machines built to increase engagement on the Chinese social media site, this one gained unwanted – and unwarranted – traction.
A year has passed since Lauren was forced off social media after being fat-shamed by vile online trolls who cruelly told the Arsenal star to dump her in favour of an “upgrade”.
Lauren, the mother of Declan’s toddler son, has rarely been seen in public since.
Perhaps bots – knowing the furore that ensued following the horrific incident last year – are smart enough to know spinning a web of lies about her clearly besotted partner would get football fans clicking.
Lauren was briefly seen in the stands at the Euros in Germany last year, when Declan ran to hug her after England’s victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
It was a rare occurrence, as friends say Lauren will never put herself in a position where she can be hung out to dry in the court of public opinion.
Meanwhile, Declan has been seen letting his hair down following the Euros at Wayne Lineker‘s Ocean Beach in Ibiza – and contacts tell me he mingled with the A list at You Me Bum Bum Train in February.
These two outings were enough to fuel the fires amongst the cesspit of social media bullies.
“The torment Lauren endured because of those pathetic people was horrific,” one confidante tells me.
“She had never lived a public life, so to be torn apart on social media felt even more unfair.
“Lauren wasn’t the kind of WAG you saw out and about, or going to big events or fashion shows. That wasn’t her style.
“She virtually lived in the shadows anyway. To then be attacked so viciously and with such fury left a lasting mark.”
Lauren is expected to be among the guests at Dani Dyer and Jarrod Bowen’s huge wedding later this month – but it’s unlikely she’ll be pictured on the WAG social channels afterwards.
“Lauren has managed to carefully navigate life now where she is present at events but isn’t seen,” the friend continues.
“Those close to her know she doesn’t want to be shared in pictures unless they are on totally private accounts.
“She has her own private account which is just for her friends and family but she’d never share things publicly again.
“It’s not because she’s scared, it’s because she just wants a quiet life doing what she loves with Declan and their family.”
Relationship timeline
Rice and Lauren have been together for eight years:
2016 – Rice and childhood sweetheart Lauren get together as teenagers
May, 2017 – Rice makes his West Ham debut in a clash with Burnley
March, 2019 – The Hammers ace makes his England debut after switching allegiances from the Republic of Ireland
August, 2022 – Rice confirms the birth of his son, Jude
November, 2022 – Lauren heads to Qatar to support her man at the World Cup
July, 2023 – Rice leaves West Ham to join Arsenal, with Lauren regularly supporting him at games at the Emirates
April, 2024 – Lauren wipes her Instagram account after vile bullying by trolls
A quick glance at social media this morning shows the trolls have still not abated when it comes to stirring up egregious and unsubstantiated rumours about Lauren and her relationship with Declan – who she started dating as a teenager in 2017.
On TikTok, the completely false allegations he “cheated” with a former X Factor star are rife, while the no-marks who use gossip cesspit Tattle Life continue to stir up rubbish about their nine-year relationship.
“It’s pathetic,” a friend says. “But it’s all nonsense.
“Don’t these people have something better to do? Get a life and stop typing out b*****ks on your iPhone.”
Lauren’s private Instagram account has 295 followers, showing just how tightly she keeps her inner circle.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend Tolami Benson is among those who keep up to date with the account, along with Kennedy Alexa – the partner of Spurs star James Madison – and, of course, Jarrod’s fiancée Dani.
By contrast, Lauren’s old public account has almost 100,000 followers, but features no photographs.
Previously, Lauren liked to share posts – glamorous selfies and snaps of her and Declan with their beloved cockapoo Raffa covered her grid.
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Declan would regularly comment underneath her photographs with fire and love heart emojis.
Underneath one picture, he wrote: “Your support has been incredible, couldn’t ask for better.”
But a year ago, Lauren deleted all the photographs and memories she had shared.
The decision was a reaction to the brutal and downright disgusting barrage of hate aimed at her after snaps of her and Declan on holiday four months prior.
The comments on Instagram were far worse, and from behind their anonymous usernames, the lowlife keyboard warriors went on the attack.
But while Lauren and Declan ignored the barrage of hate, it changed after quotes – purporting to be from Declan – started to circulate online with ferocity.
The hate and the awful comments was one thing. But this whole saga meant the conversation just kept rolling on and people started picking apart Lauren and Declan’s relationship.
At the time, thousands believed the quotes – allegedly given by Declan at a press conference – were real.
During the work of fictional nonsense, an internet idiot claimed Declan had hit back and said: “My woman is the love of my life, and there is no upgrade that exists for me.”
In truth, the press conference never happened. Declan never addressed what was being said and everything shared or written about it is completely false.
It didn’t stop the quotes from being shared thousands of times online – fuelling what had already become a painful and incessant barrage of nonsense.
Just three days after this rumour first started, Lauren deleted her entire account.
INCESSANT BARRAGE
“It all got too much,” a friend explains.
“The hate and the awful comments was one thing. But this whole saga meant the conversation just kept rolling on and people started picking apart Lauren and Declan’s relationship.
“Bloggers started picking up the quotes as fact which meant it was being shared even more widely, even though the wider media ignored it because it was totally untrue.
“The sheer scale of it all became too ridiculous for words.”
The deletion saw an outpouring of love and support for Lauren, from the tens of thousands of people who genuinely took an interest in Lauren’s life and her posts.
“Lauren Fryer you are a beautiful young woman,” one wrote online. “Stay strong.”
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Another added: “Appreciation post for this beautiful woman Lauren Fryer.
“We’re sorry to see that in 2024 women are still subject to so many disgusting comments.”
It was so hard for her [Lauren], the trolling, as she doesn’t put herself out there.
Dani Dyer
The damage was done however, and while Lauren is still occasionally active on the account – she only comments and posts within her private domain.
Her good friend Dani, who bonded with Lauren at last year’s Euros, spoke out in her defence after the competition and told us: “It was so hard for her, the trolling, as she doesn’t put herself out there.
“I think it’s harder when you are not in [the celebrity world] and you are being personally attacked. I found that hard.
“She is a really good mum, who keeps to herself. No one deserves to be criticised like that.
“It was so cruel.
“Attacking a girl because of what she looks like, in this day and age, I don’t agree with it.
“She got a lot of support from all of us, which she definitely needed.”
Those close to Lauren say she has no interest in ever putting herself into the public domain again – and after all of this, who could blame her?
