Martine McCutcheon revealed yesterday her singer songwriter husband Jack McManus has left her after 18 years together. The Love Actually and EastEnders actress shared the shock announcement online while on a ‘much-needed’ holiday in Marbella on Spain ’s Costa del Sol with their son Rafferty, nine. She wrote: ‘After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it’s best for us to separate and I accept his decision.
’ The news comes just three weeks after Ms McCutcheon, 48, shared a gushing birthday post to McManus, 40, and revealed that he was grieving the death of his father Mick. The couple had married in 2012 in Italy’s picturesque Lake Como – six years after they had started dating – and they even renewed their vows two years ago. In her post yesterday to her 620,000 Instagram followers, Ms McCutcheon added: ‘We are both so very blessed and grateful for our beautiful son Rafferty, whose happiness and welfare has always been, and will continue to be, our number one priority.
’ ‘We both, of course, still cherish and look forward to being parents together to our wonderful boy for the rest of our lives.’ ‘Whilst this decision has evolved over a period of time, we are still finding our new way forward as a family.’ ‘Our love for Rafferty is something that will never waver or change and we obviously want to protect him and help him feel as safe and secure as possible.
I continue to send Jack all the love, luck and happiness for the next chapter of his life. Rafferty and I (as always) are rooting for you.’ Ms McCutcheon, who apart from her soap and stage acting also appeared in the hit 2003 movie Love Actually, also shared a selfie in the pool with Rafferty and posted: ‘Marbella has woven its magic once again.
Much needed. Grateful.’ She put up a swimsuit snap and insisted she ‘felt so lucky’ to be abroad.
Moments before she had broken the news of her split, she shared a poignant post about heartbreak. It read: ‘I hope you know that your heart is enough. You’re smart enough and funny and interesting enough.
Your smile is enough. You have nothing to prove.’ Two months after renewing their vows, Ms McCutcheon admitted she and McManus ‘don’t have the perfect relationship by any means’ but that she did ‘confide’ in him when ‘life gets holiday snap she posted this week tricky’.
She told one newspaper: ‘We’ve had our ups and downs. We’ve had our challenges but I think ultimately we’re each other’s best friend.’ Ms McCutcheon admitted in 2016 during an appearance on TV daytime show Loose Women that those close to her had helped ‘save’ her marriage.
She added: ‘But through the trials and tribulations, I think my friends – when I feel I can’t get through to him – have made me see sense.’ The family of McManus have said the couple’s split was ‘very sudden’ and was triggered by him two months ago. His aunt claimed ‘it has been hard’ and added that ‘a lot had been going on for the family’.
The couple’s £1.5million home in Surrey was put on the market on May 31. McManus, speaking from there last night, said: ‘I’ll not be saying anything more about this.
’ Reporting by Rebecca Lawrence.
