Inside Ainsley Harriott's split as he reveals tragic reason for relationship ending
Ainsley Harriott and his ex-wife Claire Fellows parted ways in 2012 after a 23-year marriage.
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Ainsley Harriot has lifted the lid on the ending of his two-decade marriage and the pressures that put cracks in his relationship.
The TV chef was previously married to costume designer Claire Fellows before they called it quits in 2012.
The former couple divorced after 23 years of marriage and welcomed two children Maddie and Jimmy.
Ainsley opened up about its breakdown in Rylan Clark’s How To Be in the Spotlight podcast where he claimed stardom contributed to the divorce.
He admitted that being a famous face is “difficult for partners” as they are forced to “share” their other half “all the time".
When asked how he felt about being a “national treasure,” the chef told Rylan: “It's other people who put you into that category, you don't put yourself in there.
“You're not someone who brings negativity, you're someone who brings a smile to them, so most of the time people approach me.
“Or if I'm in my supermarket and they bash their trolley into mine… it's always a lovely moment. I smile and have little moment with them,” Ainsley shared.
However, the 67-year-old also spoke on the downsides of fame and the impact it had on his wife, who he met in a clothes shop.
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Ainsley shared: “I think it's difficult for partners, it was certainly difficult for my ex so I think that probably contributed to our break up.
“Because you're sharing that person that you love all the time and that's really hard. We've all been there, a lot of people in the industry have been there. You feel divided.”
In 2020, Ainsley admitted to The Mirror: “I still have love and feelings for my ex-wife, that never stops because she gave me the most important things in my life, and there is respect there. But everyone moves on, and that’s fine.”
He continued: “I have a partner now and I’m enjoying having love and getting to share my life with someone, that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Although she always says to me, ‘I’d prefer it if you didn’t talk about me, thanks darling.’”