Love dramas
For three years they were embroiled in a bitter divorce – with him being dubbed “insensitive” after calling his new girlfriend his “greatest love”, while she lashed out at them both on social media.
But there are reports that icy feelings between Ant McPartlin and ex-wife Lisa Armstrong have thawed, and that they are now back on “civil terms”.
Their truce comes two months after they finalised their mammoth £62 million divorce. The former couple spent years wrangling over the details of their split, but are now reportedly seeing each other – from a safety distance of at least 2 metres – when they hand over their pet dog Hurley, after the two received shared custody of him in their settlement.
Sources say their willingness to meet face to face again is a “huge step forward”, as for a long time it “would have been impossible” without an intermediary.
Lisa, 43, was said to be “beyond devastated” when Ant, 44, ended their 12-year marriage in 2017. Six months later, he went public with new girlfriend, and the pair’s former PA, Anne-Marie Corbett, 44.
An irate Lisa tweeted, “And to think she was MY friend”, before liking tweets condemning Ant’s betrayal. And in a showdown at their former marital home last year, Lisa reportedly refused to let her ex in to collect his remaining belongings.
But in recent months, the make-up artist has made a U-turn, with sources telling Closer she played “peacemaker” in the final stages of their divorce settlement in January. Last month, she appeared to further extend an olive branch by liking a tweet from Ant and Dec’s joint account, thanking the public for supporting Saturday Night Takeaway.
PDSA guidelines say people are able to hand over dogs during the pandemic lockdown, as long as they stay 2 metres apart and wash their hands for 20 seconds after.