She is heading for fame and fortune, but Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh is not letting it ruin her love life.

Bradford-born Kimberley (pictured) is dating footballer Martin Pemberton and insists nobody will force them apart.

And so has she been wooed by some famous faces begging her for a date?

"Occasionally," Kimberley said tentatively. "But I'm not bothered. Usually famous people aren't what you'd expect."

And fellow band member Sarah Harding said one glittering star tried to woo all five members of the band.

"There was one guy in Dublin who gave all five of us the same spiel," Sarah giggled. "I'm not mentioning any names, but he knows who he is."

Snogging A-listers and stepping out with celebs could be a career-boosting move for the winners of Popstars: The Rivals who are still enjoying their first flurry of fame. Cynics might snipe that Kimberley's footballer boyfriend is the ultimate celebrity fashion accessory.

The difference is that she met Martin Pemberton three years before Rivals fast-tracked her to fame. And he doesn't play for a glamorous Premiership team but slogs it out for second division Stockport County.

Any chance they could be the new Victoria and David Beckham?

"No way - not at all," Kimberley said.

"People keep asking me that and it's a bit stupid really. I never think of us like that. Posh and Becks are on a completely different level to us. I love them as much as the next person and doubt anyone could compete."

But if any similarities can be drawn between the couples it's their penchant for publicly declaring their love.

"When I first met Martin I felt strongly for him and still do," Kimberley said. "You connect with someone or you don't. Everything about you and the person fits together. And you can't put your finger on it, you just know. "But I'm only 21 and don't want to get married yet. I'm happy the way I am at the moment, but I think he's the one for me. Definitely."

Since Kimberley, Sarah and their band mates Nadine Coyle, Cheryl Tweedy and Nicola Roberts have been promoting their recent single and debut album there's been precious little time for boyfriends.

But Kimberley doesn't worry that the protracted absences could break their bond. "Obviously I don't get to see Martin very often," she said. "But when you've got a relationship that's so solid it's not as hard as people think to keep it going. You've just got to make more effort."