Christmas isn’t exactly the most wonderful time of the year for Lisa Armstrong right now
It’s not the most wonderful time of the year for everybody
Given the year she’s had, it’s understandable that Lisa Armstrong is looking forward to the end of 2019 and making a fresh start. However, she’s got to get through Christmas first and heat’s been told she’s dreading it, mainly due to her ongoing divorce battle with estranged husband Ant Mcpartlin, which is currently centred around their dog.
Although the couple split two years ago, they have still yet to reach a financial agreement or custody arrangement for their chocolate Labrador Hurley. And while we’re told Ant is looking forward to his first Christmas in his new home with girlfriend Anne-marie Corbett and her
two children, the same can’t be said for Lisa – who’s also facing spending the holidays without her beloved dog, thanks to Ant’s demands.
“Lisa has been dreading Christmas, as she’s had such a tough time this year,” says an insider close to the make-up artist, who sadly lost her dad in May, after a lengthy battle with cancer. “She knows that Ant will be having the perfect family Christmas with Anne-marie and her daughters in their new house. Lisa will be with her mum and it’s going to be very hard, as it’ll be the first Christmas without her dad. She’ll do her best to enjoy herself, but it’s going to be difficult – she can’t help but feel lonely and upset, there’s been a few tears. She and Ant used to love this time of year, and it will hurt knowing he’s
enjoying it with someone else while she still hasn’t moved on to a new relationship.”
And it doesn’t help that Ant wants to have Hurley this Christmas. He hasn’t spent much time with his pet recently, as he’s been presenting I’m A Celebrity in Australia, and he’s said to be keen to have Hurley at his house so he can bond with his other two dogs, Maltipoos Bumble and Milo. However, we’re told Lisa wants Hurley with her and it’s causing more arguments.
“Lisa is furious that Ant wants Hurley over Christmas – she feels that this is just another jab at her and an example of how careless Ant is regarding her feelings,” our insider says. “Lisa has said that Ant should be happy spending Christmas with Anne-marie and her kids, and their new dogs, but he wants Hurley, too, which means Lisa would miss out. That dog has been such a comfort to Lisa, but Ant is keen to have him spend more time with his Maltipoos so they can get used to each other. Anne-marie’s kids have been growing attached to Hurley, too. Ant’s said the whole family want him around during the holidays, so they can all enjoy going for walks together.”
Lisa and Ant split around Christmas 2017, after Ant’s second stint in rehab for drink and drug addiction. He announced the end of their 11-year marriage in January 2018 in a solo statement, as Lisa was said to still want to save their relationship. Ever since then, things have grown increasingly sour between the pair, especially after Ant got together with their former PA Anne-marie. Ant has described her as “his rock”, and Lisa has made her anger known by liking and sharing social media posts that slate them and say how badly she has been treated by Ant. And while we’re told her ex would like to have had the divorce finalised by now, our source says Lisa is in no hurry.
“Ant had really wanted everything sorted with Lisa, so he could enjoy his first proper Christmas with Anne-marie in their new home, but Lisa doesn’t see why she should rush things,” says the insider. “She’s also worried that Ant may propose and isn’t sure how she would cope if he did. She’d dearly love to make a fresh start in 2020, but she won’t agree to a divorce deal that she’s not totally happy with.”
As heat has reported, Lisa isn’t bothered about Ant’s £62million fortune and her priority is an agreement for custody of Hurley. She is also refusing to sign an NDA, which Ant is said to be insisting upon. Ant has had his say in a number of tell-all interviews, while Lisa has remained silent, and she wants to go to court in order for her to tell her side of the story, as she feels she has been treated badly.
But for now, the insider says, Lisa is happy to focus on the Strictly final and getting Christmas out of the way before heading to LA in the new year to explore possible work opportunities. “Lisa is trying to take her mind off things by planning another LA getaway to stay with [her actor friend] Craig
Robert Young, as well as some meetings with TV execs,” we’re told. “There has been some interest in her in the States. She knows a lot of people in LA and would love to do a makeover show.
“She wants to make a name for herself over there and have somewhere to escape to if things get too much.” n
‘Lisa’s furious that Ant wants to have Hurley at Christmas’