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Martin Clunes’ former wife has revealed the pivotal moment their marriage crumbled, detailing a ferocious row in a restaurant that signalled the end. Best known for his roles in ‘Men Behaving Badly’ and ‘Doc Martin’, Clunes married Lucy Aston in 1990.
However, their union was short-lived, dissolving just three years later amidst a fiery exchange that saw a cutting remark famously draw the curtain on their partnership. Initially the couple relished their first year of wedded bliss, but strains emerged as Clunes’ acting career soared and Aston remained in her position at a health food store.
From the outset, the pair were kindred spirits, both “party animals”, but their dynamic shifted drastically when she began her journey to become a crisis counsellor, leading to friction. Aston recounted how Clunes branded her “dull and boring” as her focus veered away from partying towards her studies.
What ultimately brought matters to a head was an incident where Clunes went to a party without her, later excusing it as an oversight. The tension spilled over the next night during a heated quarrel at their much-loved Chinese eatery, where Clunes reportedly declared to Aston: “You are an embarrassment.”
Following the heated exchange, Lucy came to terms with the fact that their three-year marriage was irreparable. Speaking to The Mirror in April 1997, she recounted: “He told me I was boring and different and I just thought: ‘No more.’ I stood up and said ‘thanks for dinner – this is the end’ and stormed out. I sat in the car shaking with rage. “, reports the Mirror.
She continued, “Later I went back and Martin was sitting there, surrounded by take-away cartons filled with our meal. He just looked at me. I took off my gold wedding ring, slammed it on the table and walked out. We both knew it was over. I was furious when I found out he had gone to a party without telling me. Worse than that, he had said he was going out with just a couple of male actor friends. He tried to make out he had told me, but the truth is he just didn’t want me there. The sad thing is I had become an embarrassment to him.”
After taking a solitary drive, Lucy returned to their North London flat, realising that their relationship was beyond repair. They discussed their future, agreeing to part ways but promising to remain friends.
“We just looked at each other and said ‘Bye, then’,” Lucy shared.
Post-split, Lucy spent 10 weeks in America. By the time she returned, Martin had started dating his current wife, TV producer Philippa Braithwaite.
“It was a bombshell when he told me he was with Philippa,” Lucy admitted. .
After parting ways in 1997, Martin and Lucy went their separate ways, with Martin exchanging vows with Philippa later that year. At the time of their split, Lucy was expecting and had already moved on to a new relationship.
Martin initially reflected on the breakdown of their marriage, saying: “We had a problem enjoying each other but now I can enjoy Lucy again. We are friends and can appreciate each other.”
(Image: Daily Mirror)
However, in a 2008 interview with the Mail’s Weekend magazine, Martin’s tone took a drastic turn, as he described their union as “rotten”. He revealed: “I don’t know if I was searching for anything. Maybe I was. I kind of found it without looking. When I met Philippa I was coming out of a rotten marriage, and was very resistant to the idea of getting involved again.”
Lucy took umbrage with Martin’s scathing remarks, firing back in an interview with the Mail: “I want Martin to stop telling everyone what a failure it was and what an awful time he had. In truth, I was the one who had a terrible time. I’ll always love Martin, but he needs to take responsibility for the collapse of our marriage instead of constantly dismissing it so scathingly in public.”
In contrast, Martin and Philippa’s nuptials in 1997 were a more low-key affair, with an intimate ceremony followed by a reception at London’s prestigious Savoy hotel. The couple welcomed daughter Emily in 1998 and have since traded in their London life for a quieter existence on their Dorset farm.
