Amanda Holden harbored a stark motive for seeking a divorce from Les Dennis, as revealed in a candid admission by the Britain’s Got Talent judge.
In June 1995, a youthful Amanda Holden, then 22, exchanged vows with comedian Les Dennis, aged 40 at the time, in what was hailed as the showbiz wedding of the year.
However, their marital bliss was short-lived, unraveling dramatically when news of Amanda’s involvement with actor Neil Morrissey made headlines.
Following a period of separation aimed at salvaging their relationship, the couple opted for divorce in 2003.
Surprisingly, despite Amanda’s affair, Les consented to her citing his alleged adultery to expedite the divorce proceedings, citing that his ‘affair’ with an unnamed woman had rendered cohabitation ‘intolerable’, as reported by The Mirror.
During the divorce proceedings, both Amanda and Les had embarked on new relationships; Amanda with music executive Chris Hughes, and Les with PR executive Leoni Cotgrove.
At 32, Amanda made a poignant revelation about their marriage, admitting,
“I terribly want children but I didn’t want to have them with Les.
That’s a horribly brutal thing to say, but when you do, you know you have to move on,” as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
While Amanda initiated the divorce, they eventually reached an amicable resolution. Amanda has since found happiness with Chris, whom she married in 2008, and they are now raising their daughters Alexa and Hollie.
On the other hand, Les has been married to Claire Nicholson since 2009, and they share two children, Eleanor and Thomas.
Reflecting on her past affair and the ensuing public scrutiny, Amanda expressed the difficulty of coping with the sudden shift in public perception, stating,
“I found the fall from grace incredibly hard to deal with. I can’t bear not to be liked. Then I had an affair and overnight turned into this awful person.”
She added,
“There are no hard feelings with Les. I wish him the best, but we’ve both moved on. I don’t believe women have affairs for no reason. Women don’t seek sex – we seek love and affirmation.”
Despite forgiving Amanda for her indiscretion, Les vividly recalls the moment he realized their marriage was over.
In his autobiography “Must The Show Go On?,” he recounts the pivotal moment during his exit from Celebrity Big Brother 2002, which symbolized the end of their union.
