Tarrant takes 50/50 option in divorce deal

ENTERTAINER Chris Tarrant and his wife Ingrid have settled their divorce — with the former Mrs Tarrant getting about half of the TV star’s £25 million fortune (€31.7m).

The deal consists of a reported £5.5m cash lump sum and property worth £6m.

The pair split in September 2006, a month after she found out about the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host’s long-running affair with primary school deputy head, 55-year-old Fiona McKechnie.

McKechnie is a trustee at the Headway brain injury charity, of which the TV star is a patron.

The Tarrants were granted a “quickie” divorce at London’s High Court in February 2007, on the grounds of his adultery.

The couple were married for 15 years and have two teenage children. They also have two children each from previous marriages.

Ingrid Tarrant hired private detectives to investigate her 61-year-old husband over her suspicions he was being unfaithful.

According to reports, Mrs Tarrant, 53, has taken the house in Surrey where she lives with their children, which was bought for £3.2m.

She will also keep the couple’s £1.5m villa on the Cote d’Azur, and a £500,000 apartment in Battersea, London.

She told the Daily Mail: “I am so, so glad it’s over. My life has stood still for all that time. I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

“I have my life back and my time back.

“Divorce is a very time-consuming situation. It’s horrible and it’s vile.”

Tarrant has said: “I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused to my loyal wife and wonderful children, all of whom I adore. I have only myself to blame.”

A spokesman for Tarrant confirmed: “They settled and it was amicable.”