Things got so bad for the actor, 47, that he couldn't even afford to buy BBC execs a lager when they met him to offer him a role in their flagship soap in 2013.
The EastEnders and Strictly favourite, 30, was in a relationship with Chloe Strand from March last year, but she recently learnt he was also seeing another woman from around August.
The actor, 60, who is arguably best known for playing Grant Mitchell in EastEnders , is one of the famous faces appearing in the new current series of the BBC genealogy show.
It comes after the EastEnders star, 52, blanked Lorraine Kelly in an awkward chat about their former housemate Mickey Rourke, 72, on her show earlier this week.
Actress Hannah, whose sister is former EastEnders star and Strictly winner Kara Tointon , got together with Joe back in 2012, after meeting on the set of the hit E4 drama.