From EastEnders’ Samantha Womack to Jesy Nelson, celebs who split after spending 24/7 together proved too much

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LOCKDOWN might be over but it looks like these ­relationships are too.

We told yesterday how opera singer Alfie Boe has split with his wife Sarah after struggling through the pandemic.

Alfie and Sarah have decided to call time on their marriage after 16 years

The couple married 16 years ago and have two children, Grace, 12, and eight-year-old Alfred.

But a source revealed: “It seems lockdown was just too much for Alfie and Sarah. They have found their relationship increasingly strained and he says they have now made the decision to separate.”

Other celebrity couples have come under pressure, too, with many unable to bounce back after Britain opened up again. But it’s not just celebs struggling — marriages across the nation have been strained,  with 38 per cent of us now rethinking our relationships, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Relationships expert Dr Pam Spurr says: “If you had cracks in your relationship pre-lockdown, sadly those have probably grown.

“Relationship research shows that if things are already fragile, then getting into ‘unknown territory’, like starting a new job, is very harmful to a couple.

“Going into lockdown certainly counts as ‘unknown territory’. Coping with all the changes brought about by lockdown adds enormous stress. Even couples who normally coast along nicely have ­struggled in these new circumstances, with all the family stuck at home but still having to work, and having to ‘hot-desk’ on the kitchen table.”

Dr Pam adds: “Despite thinking that celebrities have had it easier in lockdown, surrounded by luxury, many have discovered that living in these ­pressure-cooker situations is the final straw.

“If you believe things are beyond repair, then stop ­playing the blame game. That only adds fuel to the break-up fire. Accept that both of you have probably done things leading to the break-up. Try to be positive moving forward. Remind yourselves how you both once cared for each other. Try not to destroy every ­memory of those good times.

“If you’re stuck living together, get ­practical and draw up a rota of who gets to use the kitchen etc, and when. Draw a mental boundary between each other and don’t pry into the other person’s life. Remember the break-up means that you don’t share everything with each other any longer.”

From Harry Enfield to Megan Fox, here we share the romances that have fallen victim to the lockdown love curse

Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes – 4 years

ACTORS Jenna, 34, and Tom, 35, first met when they starred as the Queen and Prince Albert in the ITV series Victoria. Jenna moved out of their West London flat in July after ending their four-year ­relationship.

The couple are understood to be ‘trying to salvage a friendship’

A source said: “They are trying to salvage a friendship but obviously these are ­trying times and it’s not easy.

“Tom actually helped Jenna with her new place, and they’ve met up this week to talk things through and keep everything as friendly and civil as possible.”

Jennifer Metcalfe and Greg Lake – 8 years

HOLLYOAKS barmaid Jennifer, 36, called time on her eight-year relationship with Greg Lake, 35.

Jennifer and Greg split after eight years together

The actress – who plays Mercedes McQueen in the soap – and Geordie Shore star Greg share son Daye, three.

But the pressures of lockdown proved too much for the couple, who announced their split on Saturday yet insist they are still friends.

Jennifer said: “Greg and I decided to part ways amicably a couple of months ago.”

The pair seemed happy earlier this year when Greg shared a jokey photo of Jennifer scrubbing the bathroom. But last month she hit the beach, during the heatwave, with her partner nowhere to be seen.

Samantha and Mark Womack – 22 years

FORMER EastEnders actress Sam, 47, has announced she is no longer with her actor ­husband Mark, 59.

Samantha and Mark are still living together

The pair – who met in 1998 on the set of police drama ­Liverpool 1 and married in 2009 – are still living together in their Berkshire home with children Benjamin, 19, and Lili Rose, 15, despite their split.

Sam said: “We decided that we didn’t want to stay in a romantic relationship, but we liked our way of living.

“We have this beautiful house and we get a lot of time away from each other. We’re still a family and we love and adore each other. We have always been great friends.”

Candice Brown and Liam Macaulay – 8 years

BAKE Off winner and pub landlady Candice, 35, split from hubby Liam less than two years after they wed and eight years after they first got together.

The couple simply decided their relationship ‘wasn’t working’

Tree surgeon Liam, 33, soon moved on and was pictured getting close with hospitality worker Micah Taffurelli on holiday last month.

But Micah denied she had caused the break-up, saying: “We booked a holiday together after we’d been dating for a couple of months. It was bad timing that their marriage split was made public when we were away.”

Liam added: “There was nobody else involved. We have just sadly decided it wasn’t working.”

Jesy Nelson and Chris Hughes – 16 months

LITTLE Mix beauty Jesy, 29, split from Love Islander Chris, 27, at the start of lockdown in April.

Jesy and Chris called it quits at the beginning of lockdown

The pair – who had been dating for 16 months – broke up over the phone.

The singer said they had not seen each other “in ages” and admitted that she had chosen not to isolate during the pandemic with Chris, who was staying with a flatmate.

Chris said: ‘It was tough, and when everyone’s like, ‘Time’s a healer’, you don’t believe it when you’re in the moment.

“This lockdown feels like it’s gone on for so long. I’ll be all right – I’ll get straight back into it.”

Harry and Lucy Enfield – 23 years

HARRY, 59, best known for playing comic characters Kevin the Teenager and Loadsa- money, has moved out from the home he shared in Notting Hill, West London, with wife Lucy, 57, a kids’ clothing designer.

The couple were married for over 23 years before deciding to split

The couple married 23 years ago and have three children – Archie, 23, Poppy, 21, and 17-year-old Nell.

A source said: “It’s very sad, but Harry is living elsewhere. He’s being comforted by a female friend. Lucy is heartbroken.”

Harry and Lucy shunned the showbiz lifestyle. He had ­previously told BBC Radio 3’s Private Passions: “She had no interest in my comedy.”

Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green – 15 years

TRANSFORMERS actress Megan, 34, announced she was breaking up with husband of ten years Brian, 47, in May.

Since their split, Megan has been spotted with rapper Machine Gun Kelly, 30

Megan first met the Beverly Hills 90210 actor in 2005 on US sitcom Hope & Faith.

They married in 2010 and had three children: Noah, seven, Bodhi, six, and Journey, four.

Since their split, Megan has been spotted with rapper Machine Gun Kelly, 30.

Brian had told listeners to his podcast that the split had left him with “a pit in my stomach”.

He added: “I really don’t want Megan and I to be at odds – she’s been my best friend for 15 years and I don’t want to lose that.”

Wes Nelson and Arabella Chi – 9 months

LOVE Islanders Wes, 22, and Arabella, 28, called time on their nine-month romance after drifting apart during the pandemic.

Wes and Arabella were together for just nine months before splitting

Wes moved out of the model’s flat and in with telly buddy Josh Denzel to recover from the break-up.

A source said: “It’s all over. They started to grow apart and the age gap became really noticeable between them both.

“There’s been no funny business, no cheating or ­anything like that. It’s just ­fizzled out between them.”

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