The ongoing paternity saga between The Traitors star Charlotte Chilton and singer Conor Maynard has reached its breaking point — with a second paternity test confirming that Conor is not the father of her baby daughter, Penelope.
Charlotte, 32, made headlines last June when she announced that she was pregnant with what she called her “miracle” baby, publicly naming Conor, also 32, as the father after what she described as a one-night stand. She later accused the singer of refusing to acknowledge the little girl as his own.
A first paternity test revealed that Conor was not the father, but Charlotte disputed the results, claiming an “unidentified male” was present when the DNA sample was taken and that Conor “switched testing locations at the last minute.”
Hoping to settle the matter once and for all, a second test was carried out. The results were the same: Conor Maynard is not Penelope’s father.
In a statement shared with the Daily Mail, Charlotte’s representative said:
“For those who have followed Charlotte’s journey since her appearance on BBC’s The Traitors, you will know she has fought an extraordinary battle for truth and justice with heartfelt conviction.
We are forever grateful to everyone who has shown unwavering love and support to Charlotte over the past 12 months.
Special thanks must also go to Charlotte’s rockstar legal advisors, Lorna McCammon (SFR Law) and Paul Lunt (Brabners), for their invaluable guidance. We could not have done this without you.
Charlotte will now take time to process, heal, and reflect — and when she is ready, she will share her story in full.”
Conor also took to Instagram to release his own statement:
“Today I received the results of a second paternity test requested by Charlotte regarding her baby girl, Penelope.
As with the first test, the results confirmed again that I am not Penelope’s father. As Charlotte requested, Penelope’s, Charlotte’s, and my DNA were collected at a Ministry of Justice-accredited testing facility chosen by Charlotte. The results are therefore conclusive.
This has been incredibly difficult for me and my family, and I’m grateful for everyone’s support. I’m glad we can finally draw a line under this and move forward with our lives.”
A source told The Sun that Charlotte is “shell-shocked” by the confirmation, explaining:
“She’s been fighting for the truth for 18 months, during an already difficult time as a first-time single mum. It’s never been about Conor being in the public eye or having money — Charlotte had no intention of ‘trapping’ him. It’s always been about having Penny’s father’s name on the birth certificate. Her little girl deserves that.
She’s reeling from the result and is now considering where she goes from here.”
A spokesperson for Conor expressed hope that this second test will bring closure:
“We hope that by agreeing to a second test, Charlotte can finally put this behind her once and for all.”
A standard DNA paternity test typically requires samples from at least two people — the child and the alleged father — with the mother’s DNA often recommended for increased accuracy.
The high-profile dispute has taken a heavy toll on Conor. Appearing on This Morning in May, the singer spoke candidly about the mental strain he has endured since Charlotte questioned the first test:
“I was instantly painted as a deadbeat dad. My comments on social media were all about that,” he said. “Mental health is something I have struggled with for a huge portion of my life. And this year has been up there with my toughest battles.”
After the first test, Conor addressed his followers with a similar message:
“Earlier this week, I took a paternity test regarding Charlotte Chilton’s baby girl Penelope, in the presence of her legal representative. Today I’ve received the results, which confirm I am not Penelope’s father. I’m glad the speculation can finally be put to rest.
All I ask is that people act with kindness in response to this news — there is a child at the heart of all this, and that should never be forgotten. I wish Charlotte and her family all the best.”
Conor’s siblings, Jack, 30, and Anna, 24 — who is dating The Traitors winner Harry Clark — both left supportive messages under his Instagram post.
Charlotte, meanwhile, has been open about her struggles as a new single mum. In an earlier interview with OK! Magazine, she said:
“He knows I’ve given birth. I haven’t heard anything. I had real torment over whether to contact him when she was here or not. And I figured, I don’t want to speak to him, but he has a right to know.”
She also revealed her battles with postnatal anxiety, admitting there were days she was brought to tears because she thought her daughter looked “identical” to Conor.
Despite everything, Charlotte said she would never deny her daughter a chance to know her father if he ever wanted to be a part of her life:
“If she wants to walk away from him, that’s fine, but she needs to make that decision for herself when she’s older.”
Financial pressures have added to her challenges. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Charlotte admitted that the fallout forced her to work around the clock to make ends meet while raising a newborn and running her new recruitment consultancy business:
“You struggle financially to make ends meet when starting a new business. You don’t take a salary very often in your first year — and I’m trying to do this while looking after a newborn. It’s very difficult to manage.”
Still, Charlotte makes sure Penelope doesn’t go without:
“She’s got everything she needs — nice clothes, baby massage, swimming lessons — because I put her first. I go without so she can have these things.
But if someone else were to chip in, what else could I provide for her? What else could I do? Be a mum who’s present, instead of a mum who’s exhausted because she’s working every hour just to make ends meet.”
Source: Daily Mail
