Michelle Collins is engaged

Michelle Collins is engaged to her boyfriend Mike Davidson.

The 'EastEnders' legend revealed on social media that Mike, 38, had popped the question on a hike up Temescal Canyon in Los Angeles – a decade after the pair first met.

Michelle told her Instagram followers: "So this happened in #la he got down on bended knee while we were on top of #temescalcanyon basically no one else around just us.

"It's #beautfiul and I'm #happy #10years this April about time I think (sic)"

The 59-year-old actress previously hit out at critics of the 22-year age gap between the duo and was frustrated to be branded as a "cougar".

Michelle – who has also appeared in 'Coronation Street' and 'Doctor Who' – said in 2018: "Mike is 22 years younger than me and I'm regarded as a predator. It drives me mad. People call him my toyboy beau. He's nearly 35, for God's sake.

"He turned to me the other day and said, 'Surely I'm not still your toyboy, am I?'

"I laugh about it now but it is annoying. And I hate that word cougar. I can't stand it. I find it so demeaning. A cougar is a predator going around looking for young flesh. I'm certainly not like that."

The actress continued: "But then, women are judged far more harshly than men. And, funnily enough, often by other women.

"If people think I look old enough to be his mum then let them! There's nothing I can do about it. It's one of the downsides, I suppose, of being in the public eye.

"No-one mentions an older man and a younger woman, do they? Nobody goes on about Rod Stewart's wife Penny being nearly 30 years younger than him!"