Les Dennis forgives ex-wife Amanda Holden for her affair and can watch BGT ‘without getting angry’
Les Dennis has said he forgives his ex-wife Amanda Holden for cheating during their marriage.
The actor. 69, married the Britain’s Got Talent judge, 52, in 1995 when she was 22 and he was 40, before finally splitting in 2003.
After five years of marriage, it emerged that the couple had gone their separate ways amid Amanda’s highly publicized fling with actor Neil Morrissey, 60.
Les is now candid about his feelings for his ex in a new interview, saying he’s “glad she’s happy.”
Speak against The times, he said, “Amanda was in the paper the other day and said some nice things about me. That was very nice of her.
‘I’m glad she’s happy’: Les Dennis has said he forgives his ex-wife Amanda Holden for cheating during their marriage
Split: the actor. 69, married the Britain’s Got Talent judge, 52, in 1995 when she was 22 and he was 40, before finally splitting in 2003
“Maybe with time she’s been able to look back and see things differently. We’re not in touch, but I’m glad she’s happy.’
He added: ‘I can watch Britain’s Got Talent without getting angry. Honestly, it’s like I’m looking at a different person, someone I’ve never met.’
Les concluded, “All the pain that happened has been healed.”
The pair began their fling when they worked together on the 2000 film Happy Birthday Shakespeare, with Amanda later admitting that their relationship was all about “sex.”
At the time, many speculated whether the age difference between Amanda and Les was the cause of their problems.
And while Amanda and Les later reconciled before finally breaking up in 2002, she recently insisted that she had no idea if she was looking for a father figure in the funny man.
She said The times: ‘I don’t know because I’ve never done therapy, but there’s a kind of security in a relationship like that.
“I was very young and I still had a lot to learn about life.”
Speaking of her marriage and affair, she previously told the Daily Mail: “I did it to myself, I appreciate that, but nothing will ever be this bad again.
“It was a very dark time. It got to the point where I felt I could barely breathe.
Les turned out to be my savior. Ironic. So the person I hurt the most was the one who was there for me.”
Affair: As it turned out, the couple had gone their separate ways amid Amanda’s highly publicized fling with actor Neil Morrissey, 60 (Amanda and Neil pictured in 2003)
In 2013, Amanda opened up about her affair with Neil Good housekeeping: ‘I don’t believe that women have affairs for no reason.
Rightly or wrongly, Neil got a lot of stick. I feel like it was my fault – I was the one who got married.
“I want to change the general perception of him because he was very caring and very loving and very concerned about me losing so much weight. He used to cook for me, take care of me and look after the dogs.’
In 2014, Neil finally apologized to game show host Les for the affair he had with his then-wife Amanda.
The star, who has previously said he has not apologized to Les, made the confession on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories.
He said, “I feel sorry for the way the situation was handled and I feel sorry for how emotional Les seemed to get. It was very difficult for him and I am very sorry.’
His comment came after Piers asked him if he’d ever apologized to Les, to which he replied, “No, I didn’t.” I’m not positive about what excuses are for. I don’t know what the whole situation was, to be fair to everyone.’
Moved: Amanda went on to marry producer Chris Hughes, with whom she has two daughters – Lexie and Hollie
When asked why he’s never talked about it before, the father of one child shared, “I think enough has been said about it. This was a very short flight. At that time I had no representation in terms of PR and this was the first time that I really fell under the cosh.’
Amanda went on to marry producer Chris Hughes, with whom she has two daughters: Lexie and Hollie.
Les has also married again – to Claire Nicholson in 2009. They have two children together – Eleanor and Thomas.
Les was previously married before tying the knot with Amanda in 1995 and has an adult son Philip from the relationship.