Ant McPartlin has previously opened up about his past struggles leading to the breakdown of his first marriage. The Britain’s Got Talent presenter was married to Lisa Armstrong – a make-up artist on Strictly Come Dancing – for 11 years.
They had been teenage sweethearts after meeting on the 1994 Smash Hits tour when Ant was just 18 and Lisa, then an aspiring pop star in the band Deuce, was 17. Ant went on to propose in Dubai and the couple wed in 2007 at St Nicholas’ Church in Taplow, Buckinghamshire.
But in 2018 Ant issued a statement explaining they had decided to divorce. It read: “In response to the recent speculation in the media, Ant is very sad to announce that, after 11 years, he is ending his marriage to Lisa McPartlin. Ant asks for privacy at this difficult time, for both himself, Lisa and their immediate families.”
Later, Ant spoke about the breakdown of the marriage and revealed his addictions to tramadol, morphine, and alcohol after a knee operation were what ultimately led to the split.
He admitted: “I’ve put Lisa through hell with mood swings and depression and how it affects you. I’m very sorry about the effect it has on partners. This kind of stuff puts strains on any marriage.”
The much-loved Geordie presenter suffered a torn meniscus in his knee in 2014, leaving him immobile and in constant pain. For two years, the deeply depressed presenter turned to opioids and alcohol.
Admitting when things took a wrong turn, Ant told The Sun: “It was five in the morning and I was screaming in pain so I rang Lisa. She was upstairs because I was living in the living room because I couldn’t get around.
“I was insane. It sends you crazy. It was to the point of hearing things, seeing things in the garden and still the pain was getting worse.”
Ant refused to move back in with Lisa following his stint in rehab. Despite speculation their marriage was in trouble, Lisa continued to wear her wedding ring and publicly refuted claims that they were ‘estranged’. In January 2018, Ant issued a solo statement confirming his departure from Lisa, and by June, he was seen with their one-time PA, Anne-Marie Corbett.
Lisa expressed her heartbreak on Twitter, accusing her once close friend of violating the ‘girl code’, as proceedings for their divorce became increasingly acrimonious, with Ant disclosing that they had ceased all direct communication, resorting to speaking only through their lawyers.
The couple were granted a divorce on the grounds of adultery. Lisa had sought the divorce, with court documents indicating that “the respondent has committed adultery and that the petitioner finds it intolerable to live with the respondent”.
Ant and Anne-Marie exchanged vows at St Michael’s Church in Hampshire in August 2021, with Ant becoming a stepfather to her two daughters. They welcomed their first child together yesterday (Tuesday, May 14), a little boy named Wilder.
The beloved Geordie presenter has praised Anne-Marie as “the fundamental reason for the great change in my life” after his drink-driving incident in 2018. Speaking to The Sun, he said: “She’s been my rock. She’s a beautiful soul. We’re very happy. I’m in the best place I’ve been in my life, to be honest with you. It’s great.”
