Admob Ads not showing when i create a release Version in Flutter - flutter

Question

I have an App on Google play, all is fine, I have created a new app to replace it, an upgrade, I have got Admob currently running on the existing App. So when i created the new app, all works fine in Debug release, even with my AD ID's, it shows my Ads and reflects in the reports in Admob.
When i create a release version though, no ads show. I have looked around and some people say it may have an issue with proguard-rules, and have tried all different things but cannot get it working.
These are my current files
build.gradle
def localProperties = new Properties()
def localPropertiesFile = rootProject.file('local.properties')
if (localPropertiesFile.exists()) {
localPropertiesFile.withReader('UTF-8') { reader ->
localProperties.load(reader)
}
}
def keystoreProperties = new Properties()
def keystorePropertiesFile = rootProject.file('key.properties')
if (keystorePropertiesFile.exists()) {
keystorePropertiesFile.withReader('UTF-8') { reader ->
keystoreProperties.load(reader)
}
}
def flutterRoot = localProperties.getProperty('flutter.sdk')
if (flutterRoot == null) {
throw new GradleException("Flutter SDK not found. Define location with flutter.sdk in the local.properties file.")
}
apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
apply plugin: 'kotlin-android'
apply from: "$flutterRoot/packages/flutter_tools/gradle/flutter.gradle"
apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'
android {
compileSdkVersion 33
sourceSets {
main.java.srcDirs += 'src/main/kotlin'
}
lintOptions {
disable 'InvalidPackage'
}
defaultConfig {
applicationId "com.buzzr.psl"
minSdkVersion 21
targetSdkVersion 33
versionCode 43
versionName "6.0.1"
}
signingConfigs {
release {
keyAlias keystoreProperties['keyAlias']
keyPassword keystoreProperties['keyPassword']
storeFile keystoreProperties['storeFile'] ? file(keystoreProperties['storeFile']) : null
storePassword keystoreProperties['storePassword']
}
}
buildTypes {
release {
shrinkResources true
minifyEnabled true
proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'),
'proguard-rules.pro'
signingConfig signingConfigs.release
}
debug {
shrinkResources true
minifyEnabled true
proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'),
'proguard-rules.pro'
signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
}
}
googleServices { disableVersionCheck = true }
}
flutter {
source '../..'
}
dependencies {
implementation "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-stdlib-jdk7:$kotlin_version"
implementation platform('com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:31.0.2')
implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics-ktx'
}
proguard_rules.pro
-keep class com.google.firebase.** { *; }
-keep public class com.google.android.gms.ads.** { *; }
-keep public class com.google.ads.** { *; }
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.iqonic.news_flutter">
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_CONNECT" />
<application
android:icon="#mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:label="Match Report">
<activity
android:name=".MainActivity"
android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|keyboard|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|locale|layoutDirection|fontScale|screenLayout|density|uiMode"
android:exported="true"
android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
android:launchMode="singleTop"
android:theme="#style/LaunchTheme"
android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize">
<meta-data
android:name="io.flutter.embedding.android.NormalTheme"
android:resource="#style/NormalTheme" />
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
<!-- Don't delete the meta-data below.
This is used by the Flutter tool to generate GeneratedPluginRegistrant.java -->
<meta-data
android:name="flutterEmbedding"
android:value="2" />
<meta-data
android:name="com.onesignal.suppressLaunchURLs"
android:value="true" />
<meta-data
android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
android:value="ca-app-pub-4903778266431401~7023645874" />
</application>
</manifest>
Not sure what else would help to solve this, but i have tried lots and looked all over for a solution.
Its not a matter of waiting for ads to be approved as Admob has been running on my package for years already.
Any help would be appriciated.
Tried adding
proguard-rules.pro
Tried
shrinkResources true
minifyEnabled true
and
shrinkResources false
minifyEnabled false