Life with cheating Ant was intolerable
Lisa divorces I’m a Celeb star over relationship with his PA
ANT McPartlin’s wife divorced him for being “intolerable to live with” after he committed adultery, court papers show.
The TV presenter, 42, and Lisa Armstrong, 41, were granted a decree nisi yesterday.
A source said he admitted adultery over his relationship with PA Anne-Marie Corbett to “bring a quick resolution” to their split, adding: “He just wants to move on.”
TROUBLED Ant McPartlin has admitted adultery to speed up his divorce so that he can “draw a line under it all” and move on.
The TV presenter and his wife of 12 years Lisa Armstrong were granted a decree nisi at London’s Central Family Court in 30 seconds yesterday.
Ant is believed to be worth £62 million and is said to be facing the prospect of paying her half of it as a divorce settlement.
Court documents show the marriage had “broken down irretrievably” and the “adultery” box was ticked as grounds for divorce.
The papers added that due to the adultery, the “petitioner finds it intolerable to live with the respondent”.
Ant, 42, split from make-up artist Lisa, 41, in January and started a relationship with his PA, Anne-Marie Corbett, 42, soon after.
A source said last night: “Ant admitted adultery as his relationship with Anne-Marie began when they were still married – although they were separated at the time.
“He was happy to admit to that to try and bring a quick resolution to everything and draw a line under it all. It’s all been very upsetting for all parties and he just wants to move on.”
SPECULATION
If neither party raises a case against the making of a decree absolute within six weeks, the divorce will be finalised.
Ant’s confirmation of their split had followed months of speculation about their relationship.
In a statement at the time, a representative said: “Ant is very sad to announce that, after 11 years, he is ending his marriage to Lisa McPartlin.”
The couple met at a roadshow in Newcastle in the mid-1990s, while Lisa was an aspiring pop star in group Deuce. They got married on July 22, 2006 at St Nicolas’ Church in Taplow, Buckinghamshire.
Ant has often spoken of their struggle to have children and checked into rehab last year after battling a two-year addiction to super-strength painkillers, which he got hooked on following a knee operation in 2015.
In April, he got a 20-month road ban and an £86,000 fine for driving while more than twice the drink limit.
He later announced he was stepping back from TV commitments and will not appear alongside screen partner Declan Donnelly, 43, on this year’s I’m A Celebrity – with Holly Willoughby, 37, filling his shoes.
But Ant could still bag a best TV presenter gong at the National Television Awards next year as he and Dec are up for Saturday Night Takeaway.