Katie Price has insisted her relationship with Lee Andrews is "different" to any of her others

She told The Sun newspaper: "I thought I'd been in love before but this feels different.

"It's not even about lust, it's just instant connection on all levels. I fell in love with him long before I had sex with him.

"Lee ticks every box: he's the most intelligent man I have ever been with, he has amazing legs, he makes me laugh, he's protective - in a non jealous way - and he's had life experience.

"I am the happiest I've ever been because I love myself. And if you don't love yourself, you can't love anyone else.

"I've learned now that I don't need a man. I always used to need a man in my life whereas now I don't need a man, I just want one."

And Katie dismissed online speculation and rumours that Lee is a "scammer" who has been using her for her wealth and fame.

The 47-year-old star is "not stupid" and has seen documents attesting to Lee's wealth, as well as speaking at length to both his father and his ex-wife Cezara.

She said: "So yes, I can reassure everyone at home that I haven't gone for a con man. I haven't gone for a scammer. There was no love bombing.

"I've gone for a beautiful human being who genuinely makes me happy, who I'm so in love with.

"And if I'm happy, please be happy for me."

The mother-of-five can understand why her new marriage has caused concern for her family.

She said: "Of course my family are going to worry, I wouldn't expect anything different. They love me and they've seen me go through so much heartache, and the most horrific times.

"So I don't blame them for being p***ed off and angry. They love me and I love them too.

"But I'm not a kid any more, I am 47, I can make my own choices, and I will. They have to give me that chance to go and find out for myself.

"You just got to let me be me; my life isn't normal. There's no textbook to any of this.

"Just let me enjoy the moment and enjoy my relationship."

Katie and Lee connected when she slid into his DMs after a suggested follow on Instagram, and he replied three days later, sparking a lengthy chain of communication.

She said: "We started FaceTiming and messaging about four, five hours a day, sometimes until three or four in the morning.

"Back in the olden days, you might send love letters without meeting and then fall in love so it's no different really.

"The first time we met in person, Oh my God we were s***ing it.

"And when I saw him for the first time at Dubai airport, I had butterflies and just thought 'God he's so fit, so tall'.

"But of course we couldn't kiss because this is Dubai and, like, you can get arrested for that. So he gave me a chaste peck on the cheek and that was it.

"We had our first kiss on the lips in the car."