News

Jamie Redknapp reportedly ‘unhappy at being blamed for Louise divorce’

Another day, another unconfirmed rumour...

You’d think yesterday’s confirmation that Louise and Jamie Redknapp have divorced would put an end to the constant rumours about their relationship.

Apparently not.

The latest claim from a so-called source alleges that retired footballer Jamie, 44, is “unhappy” over the divorce papers citing his “unreasonable behaviour” as the grounds of their separation.

An insider snitched to The Sun: “He’s unhappy at being blamed. But he decided not to contest it and get it over and done with.”

Read more: Strictly star Darcey Bussell finally honoured in Queen’s New Year Honours list

This source went on to allege Jamie has always supported Louise’s career, and was in the audience each week while she competed on Strictly Come Dancing.

“Jamie is not happy he is blamed for the marriage ending by preventing her pursuing her career,” claimed the so-called friend.

“She did loads of things when they were married and he never stood in her way.”

Of course, there’s no word from Jamie on whether this is true or not, as neither he nor Louise has addressed their divorce proceedings.

A rep for Louise told the paper: “We are not commenting on personal matters.”

The couple’s decree nisi was issued at the Central Family Court in London on Friday.

Court documents stated: “The Petitioner Louise Redknapp has sufficiently proved the contents of the petition herein and is entitled to a decree of (divorce), the marriage having irretrievably broken down, the facts found proved being the respondent’s (Jamie’s) unreasonable behaviour.”

The documents added: “The respondent (Jamie) has behaved in such a way that the petitioner cannot reasonably be expected to live with the respondent.”

Jamie did not oppose the grounds stated.

The couple, who married in 1998, have two sons: Charley, 13, and Beau, nine.

Louise praised football pundit Jamie as an “amazing man” in an interview given in October, in which she confirmed the couple were living apart.

She told Stella magazine: “He’s an amazing man and we’ve had 20 good years together. I know he’s trying to understand that I do need to do this.

“People might look at me and think I’ve got everything, but a sweeping staircase and designer handbag doesn’t really do it for me.

“I have no idea what is going to happen, all I know is that I fought for this, it’s taken everything, but this is something I need to do – for me.”

The pair’s marriage split has often been attributed to Louise’s stint on Strictly Come Dancing in 2016, which apparently gave her a new sense of freedom and ambition.

She previously told the Daily Telegraph that she loved her partner, but had come to feel like “a sort of Stepford Wife” and she was “coming back to who I really am”.

She said: “I feel I’m coming back to who I really am. I have spent most of my life pleasing everyone else, worrying about being judged and thinking I should always do the right thing by staying at home, looking after my kids and my husband. I lost myself.

“I think this happens to a lot of women when they get married and have children. You have this feeling deep inside you, ‘Where did I go?’ But I pushed those thoughts away.

“I’d think of my past life as a pop star as being ‘not reality’. Looking after the house and my family was my reality.

“I became a sort of Stepford Wife, wanting to be perfect at it.”

Read more: Strictly star crowned TV star of the year by Radio Times

The star said her turn on the Strictly dance floor gave her back her zest for performing, gushing: “I loved the dancing. I loved being pushed to see what I could do.

“I loved that incredible camaraderie, the laughs, the nerves, the excitement, the audience.

“Sometimes I felt like crying because deep down inside me this voice was screaming, ‘This is what I have been missing!'”


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor