Lewis’s Laurence Fox finds new love in the lockdown
After anguish of Billie Piper split and that Question Time furore...
HIS stormy divorce from Doctor Who actress Billie Piper and the rancorous custody battle over their two sons left Laurence Fox needing therapy.
But the outspoken actor appears to have found love again with fashion designer turned photographer Sara McKinnon, and they are weathering the lockdown in isolation together.
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the couple are staying at Fox’s home in London, where his children, Winston, 11, and Eugene, eight, also spend time.
Last week they looked the picture of happiness as they strolled arm-in-arm in the sunshine in colour-coordinated outfits. Miss McKinnon, 39, opted for a black lace top and figure-hugging blue jeans while the actor reversed the look in black jeans and blue shirt, complete with designer sunglasses.
The pair met five months ago and have been spotted at several upmarket showbiz events together, including the GQ magazine fashion dinner in January.
Friends say Fox, 41, is ‘very happy’ with Miss McKinnon, the daughter of the Emmy award-winning nature documentary producer Michael McKinnon. One said: ‘He has had a good feeling about her, it is delightful to see him happy after everything he has been through.’
After splitting from former teenage pop star Ms Piper after eight years of marriage in 2016, Fox dated Heart Radio DJ Lilah Parsons for ten months before dabbling unsuccessfully with online dating.
His relationship with London-born Miss McKinnon began shortly before his controversial appearance on BBC One’s Question Time in January.
The actor – a star of the ITV drama Victoria who rose to fame playing DS James Hathaway on the channel’s crime drama Lewis – sparked 250 complaints to Ofcom by suggesting that ‘playing the race card’ was ‘boring’.
During the programme, Fox clashed with an audience member who claimed Meghan Markle had been the victim of racism.
The actor argued that Britain was ‘the most tolerant, lovely country in Europe’ and ‘it’s so easy to throw the card of racism at everybody and it’s really starting to get boring now’.
In the aftermath, some senior members of the actors’ union Equity took to Twitter to accuse Fox of seeking to ‘berate and bully women of colour’. The organisation later apologised.
Fox ended a lengthy custody battle with former Doctor Who star Ms Piper, 37, in the High Court in 2018.
Recalling the experience, the former public schoolboy and scion of the Fox acting dynasty said: ‘I was certainly in a very dark place at one point – at my lowest ebb.
‘I almost felt like I couldn’t go on. It all felt so hopeless. I was in therapy for a while.’
‘It’s great to see him happy after all he’s been through’