Marriage over for Amanda and Les

The beleaguered marriage of TV star Amanda Holden and her husband, comic Les Dennis, has collapsed after seven years, the pair announced.

The couple – who have a 17-year age gap – had tried to give their relationship another go after her fling with Men Behaving Badly actor Neil Morrissey nearly three years ago.

But Holden and Dennis said yesterday that they had “grown apart” and it was now over, although they will remain “close friends”.

The pair – who have a home in Primrose Hill, north London – spent Christmas apart and have now gone to ground to avoid the spotlight.

The declaration comes just a month after Dennis, 48, was a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother. His appearance on the show did little to enhance his credibility as he moped around the house breaking wind and talking to the chickens.

Following his eviction there was a fortnight’s delay before he was reunited with his 31-year-old wife, due to her filming commitments.

That prompted speculation the relationship was doomed.

A statement issued on the couple’s behalf said: “It is with great sadness that Les Dennis and Amanda Holden announce that their seven-year marriage has come to an end.

“The parting is amicable. There are no other parties involved and they are and will remain close friends.”

Holden said yesterday: “It is very sad. We have been together for 10 years and we have tried hard to make our marriage work.

“I have the most enormous love and respect for Les.”

Dennis, former host of ITV1’s Family Fortunes, said: “Amanda and I have had a good marriage and I have no regrets.

“Sadly, we have grown apart recently and we both feel that it is time to move on. I wish her good luck in all that she does in the future.”

Their marriage was rocked when Holden had a brief affair with Morrissey, with whom she starred in TV drama Happy Birthday Shakespeare.

The bombshell prompted a trial separation with Holden – star of BBC1’s Cutting It – moving into a flat on her own.

The pair met at a party while appearing in separate shows on Bournemouth pier.

Dennis was already a TV star and Holden had big showbiz ambitions. She went on to find fame in comedy series Kiss Me Kate and The Grimleys.

He has branched out from the lightweight comedy for which he is known with a starring role in West End show Chicago and regular appearances in Channel 4’s Brookside.

His appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in November highlighted the difficulties they faced in maintaining a relationship in the public eye while juggling busy careers.

Her absence on his eviction night was caused by shooting for Cutting It, but observers felt it spoke volumes that they did not see each other for a fortnight.