Who is Paul Ansell, Nicola Bulley's partner?

Nicola Bulley's disappearance shocked the nation in January 2023, sparking a huge, widespread manhunt for the mother-of-two and amateur sleuths taking the investigation into their own hands.

Nicholas's body was unfortunately found in a river after weeks of searching, during which time her partner had been Paul Ansell falsely accused by online trolls to have been involved in her disappearance.

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Who is Paul Ansel?

Paul Ansell was the long-term partner of Nicola Bulley before she died in 2023.

I feel like I'm in the Truman show. Like… I honestly believe I'm going to wake up at any moment… Where do we even stand on this? We are good people.

Paul Ansel

He works as an engineer and has two daughters who he welcomed with Nicola during their twelve-year relationship.

He lives in a house in Inskip, Lancashire with his daughters.

What did Paul Ansell say?

After Nicola Bulley disappeared in January 2023, Paul provided an emotional insight to what the family was going through.

He said at the time: “It's just an eternal hell. It's just utter disbelief. We live through this, but it doesn't feel real.

'We have to find her. She has two little girls who need their mommy home.”

In early February 2023, a week after Nicola's disappearance, Paul told the press: “I can't believe we're a week into this and it looks like we're still no further along.

“It just seems absolutely impossible, like a dream.

'I just can't reach it.

“We'll never lose hope, but it's like she's disappeared into thin air. It's just crazy.”

Shortly before her body was found, Paul said he was still there hoped to be found Nicholas.

He said: “There is no evidence yet to suggest one scenario over the other and all options should be kept wide open.”

After Nicola was found in the river near where she disappeared, Paul said Sky News: “No words right now, just pain.”

What did Paul Ansell say in his Channel 5 interview?

Paul sat down Channel 5'S Then Walker for an exclusive interview on February 10, 2023, as the search for Nicola was still ongoing.

In the interview he said that he was interviewed by the Police and the horrific accusations made against him by internet trolls.

When asked how he felt during the ordeal, Paul said: 'Anger, a lot of frustration, confusion, disbelief, surrealism, nothing feels real.

“It just doesn't feel real… I feel like I'm in the Truman show. Like…I honestly believe I'm going to wake up at any moment…where do we even stand on this? We are good people.”

He also said that he expects to be a suspect in the case, as he hit back online at people who accused him of being involved in his partner's disappearance.

Paul said of the false claims: “Some of the things people say are just, I mean, just ridiculous, aren't they?

“I read one that said, 'The police should look at the partner.'

“And I'm like, well, that's the first thing they do. Of course that's true.

“I knew that would happen, you know, on the first day.”

In the interview, which was filmed months before a coroner would confirm that Nicola drowned after falling into icy water, Paul shared his belief that a locally was responsible before Nicola's disappearance.

He said: “Whatever happened in my view must have been someone who knows the local area.

“You would only know that area, by local, it's a local area.”

When did Nicola Bulley go missing?

Nicola disappeared after dropping her children off at school in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, on Friday, January 27, 2023.

She was 45 years old at the time.

The mortgage advisor was last seen walking along a river path with her dog, springer spaniel, Willow.

She walked along the towpath to the River Wyre at around 8.43am.

The police say this about seven minutes later dog walker who knows Nicola saw her.

The hiker told them dogs had brief contact before taking a different path.

At 8:53 a.m., Nicola sent an email to her boss at Exclusively Mortgages.

Then she sent a text to a friend at 8:57 a.m. to book a play date and then logged into a Teams meeting at 9:01 a.m. — with her video off and microphone muted — as she continued her usual route.

Nine minutes later, someone saw her walking through the top field with Willow.

Police say at 9:30 a.m. the work call ended, but Nicola remained logged in.

Then, at 9.35am, Nicola's phone was found on the sofa, with Willow nearby, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Friends of Nicola have said the person tied the dog to the crate and messaged a family member asking if they knew who the dog belonged to.

When they were told it was from Nicola, they called her daughters' school, who then called her partner Paul.

The police were then called at 11am.

No words now, just pain.

The much-discussed search for Nicola led to enormous reactions online social media users shared their own theories about what they thought happened.

The online discussion surrounding the case led to Nicola's friends giving their opinion frustration with the amateur sleuths take the investigation into your own hands.

The police even had to intervene after a report TikTok detective was caught digging up forest in an attempt to find Nicola.

On February 15, police said Nicola had been classified as a “high risk” missing person. due to “vulnerabilities”, including problems with alcohol.

Nicola's family later stated that she had suffered of significant side effects of perimenopause, such as brain fog and restless sleep.

On February 20 police confirmed that a body they had found in the river the day before was Nicola's.

A June 2023 inquest into her death confirmed that she had accidentally fallen fell into the water and drowned.

In November 2023, a 143-page report into Lancashire Police's handling of the case was released.

The review, led by the College of Policing, criticized the force for “insufficient focus” and errors in judgment.