The real reason Lisa is ignoring Ant’s divorce plea
Lisa Armstrong still won’t agree to estranged husband Ant McPartlin’s terms for their divorce
She’s braced for painful memories as the second anniversary of their split looms
Insiders suspect she fears finalising their divorce will give him the green light to propose to girlfriend Anne-Marie Corbett
He’s set to make his return to
I’m A Celeb! this weekend following his absence from last year’s show, when his shock drink-driving arrest left his 20-year presenting career hanging in the balance.
And while Ant McPartlin,
43, has got his life back on track after a second rehab stint for his secret battle with alcohol and painkiller addiction – crediting his girlfriend, mumof-two Anne-Marie Corbett, 43, for being his “rock”– he’s still embroiled in a battle with ex-wife Lisa Armstrong, also 43, over his £62 million fortune.
The presenter is reportedly “desperate” to enter fresh talks with the Strictly make-up artist after their settlement agreement – the final part of their divorce process – broke down in the summer. Lisa allegedly refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement and agree to custody terms over their pet Labrador, Hurley.
STRESS
Now, insiders tell Closer that Lisa is resisting Ant’s new plea because she wants to stand her ground and refuses to bow down to pressure from Ant.
A source says, “Lisa is desperate to move on and wants to reach a settlement, but she won’t be dictated by his schedule. She’s flat out on Strictly, so she doesn’t need this stress.”
This series of I’m A
Celeb! will mark the second anniversary of the pair’s split. Ant chose not to move back in with his childhood
sweetheart of 23 years after finishing the 2017 series. He then released a shock divorce announcement weeks later, which Lisa tellingly refused to put her name to.
The source says, “The past two years have been the worst of her life. She insists she needs to put herself first so she can be in the best place to make those important decisions about her future, and continue working towards finding happiness.”
Their marriage had reportedly been under pressure following Ant’s addiction to painkillers after knee surgery but, while Lisa still wore her wedding ring, months later Ant revealed he was in a relationship with their former personal assistant and her close friend, AnneMarie. Lisa blasted the pair on Twitter, venting, “To think she was MY friend.”
PAINFUL REMINDER
The source says, “Lisa’s friends are concerned she may be sick of watching him play happy families with Anne-Marie and her kids and basking in all the anticipation around the new series, while they fear she’s struggling with the emotional turmoil of their divorce.”
To make matters worse, insiders reveal Lisa’s pals fear she is even more adamant to stand her ground, following the news that Anne-Marie will join Ant in Australia, alongside his co-host BFF Declan Donnelly, 44, his wife Ali Astall, and their oneyear-old daughter Isla.
The source says, “Lisa’s pals worry she’s still harbouring a lot of pain, and the thought of Ant and Anne-Marie playing the loved-up couple with her former friends is a painful reminder of what she’s lost.
“It was an added blow for her that Dec last week revealed Ant had been ‘desperately unhappy’ for years leading up to his first rehab stint – when he was still married to Lisa.”
More than anything, pals fear Lisa could be anxious about the idea of her ex proposing to his girlfriend, who recently moved into the TV star’s £6 million home after turning it into their “dream pad”.
The insider adds, “Lisa’s friends wouldn’t be surprised if she is nervous that, by agreeing on a settlement, it will give him the green light to pop the question to Anne-Marie. Understandably, she’s been hurt by him moving on so quickly. She may be refusing to give him the satisfaction of ‘living his best life’ during I’m A Celeb!”
Victoria Walker, specialist in family law at Moore Blatch, tells Closer, “There are two stages to a divorce, Decree Nisi and Decree Absolute, but Ant and Lisa don’t have the latter, which means they’re not yet divorced.
“Ant can’t get married again until he has a Decree Absolute, and divorce settlements can go on for ever, so it’s unlikely he’ll get his wish to settle before the show – or any time soon. Lisa can’t be forced to sign an NDA and that means Ant may have to take it to a High Court judge to decide, and that could take 12 months.”
SHE’S SICK OF WATCHING HIM PLAY HAPPY FAMILIES WITH ANNE-MARIE