Britain’s Got Talent judge and glamorous TV star Amanda Holden is a happily married mum-of-two with her husband Chris Hughes – but many forget she previously tied the knot with Corrie star Les Dennis.
The radio presenter got hitched for the first time back in 1995 at the age of just 22, but her marriage to the well-loved television presenter hit the rocks when the star had an affair with Men Behaving Badly’s Neil Morrissey, 59.
The former couple – who had an 18-year age gap – met while performing in The Sound of Music in 1993 and were married for eight years.
Despite their best efforts the infidelity rocked their marriage beyond repair and the two split for good in 2002.
Two decades on from their rocky romance, let’s take a look back their trouble marriage and where they are now…
Early Marriage
(Image: South Coast Press/REX/Shutterstock)
Amanda was first married to comedian Les Dennis 27 years ago when the pair tied the knot in 1995 after meeting while performing in The Sound of Music in 1993.
Amanda, who was just 22 at the time, wore a satin dress with square neckline for her first wedding.
She teamed the gorgeous gown with elegant silk gloves, a delicate pouch bag and a twee veil.
(Image: South Coast Press/REX/Shutterstock)
She opted for a beehive updo and a tiara.
The couple beamed with joy as they came out of their wedding venue and Amanda held a huge display of yellow flowers in her hands.
The pair have since split after their eight-year marriage was rocked by infidelity. Despite their rocky romance, the radio presenter said Les was her ‘rock’ during a particularly testing time after their split.
Speaking about her admiration for her ex, she told the Daily Mail: “Les proved to be my saviour. Ironically. So the person I’d hurt the most in the world was the one who was there for me.”
Les has appeared in numerous stage productions and hosted TV gameshow Family Fortunes but is widely known for his role as Michael Rodwell on ITV soap Coronation Street between 2014 and 2016.
Scandalous Affair
(Image: Getty Images)
Les separated from Amanda in 2002, two years after it was revealed she had a five-week affair with Men Behaving Badly actor Neil Morrissey.
Amanda met Neil on the set of BBC’s Happy Birthday Shakespeare and told the Daily Mail that the media scrutiny was the ‘worst time of her life’.
She said: “I brought it on myself, I appreciate that, but nothing will ever be as bad again. It was a very dark time. It got to the point where I felt I could hardly breathe.”
(Image: Getty Images)
The married couple did “everything” to work things out in their marriage, but divorced in 2003.
Amanda recalled that the “fall from grace” was “incredibly hard to deal with.”
She said: “I can’t bear not to be liked. Then I had an affair and overnight turned into this awful person.”
But, in 2013 she told Good Housekeeping: “I don’t believe women have affairs for no reason.”
(Image: Getty Images)
She added: “If a woman has an affair, there is normally a problem in their marriage. Neil rightly or wrongly got loads of stick.
Speaking candidly about her affair in her autobiography, No Holding Back – My Story, she said: “I knew in my heart that my marriage was on the rocks, but the guilt was unbearable and I hated myself for being so deceitful.
“I’d lie awake at night, feeling how wrong this was, and wanting to stop it. I absolutely hated myself.”
Les later joked about the affair on Christopher Biggins’ podcast, as he talked about his time as a star in pantomimes alongside the late American actor Mickey Rooney after his divorce.
He revealed Mickey got annoyed when the theatre played Sinatra’s Christmas classic, saying: “Mickey would get very angry, because of course, Frank Sinatra ran off with Ava Gardner (Mickey’s wife).
“It would’ve been like me having to listen to Bob The Builder every night.”
New Partners
(Image: Getty Images)
Having previously been married before tying the knot with Amanda, Dennis has a son named Philip from his first marriage to Lynne Webster, a marriage that was also rocked with scandal after he has an affair with actress Sophie Aldred.
After his divorce from Amanda in 2003, Dennis went on to marry Claire Nicholson in 2009. The couple have two children – a daughter, Eleanor Grace, and a son, Thomas Christopher.
(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Amanda has since gone on to marry her husband of 13-years, record producer, Chris Hughes.
Amanda and Chris have two children, Alexa and Hollie.
In February 2011, Amanda lost their baby son Theo when he was stillborn at seven months.
The family marked the 10th anniversary of the tragedy earlier this year by sharing an image of her late son’s footprints.
She wrote: “#Theo… our gorgeous little boy. You would have been 10 years old today… not a day goes by without thinking of you.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
