Ant McPartlin and Lisa Armstrong’s split is back in focus after one of her close friends shared a fresh update. Daily Mail reported that former Deuce bandmate Craig Robert Young said Lisa had a “rough time” after the marriage ended.
Craig spoke to The Mirror about Lisa’s life now. He said she came through the hardest period and stayed locked in on her career. Ant and Lisa were married for 11 years before their divorce in October 2018. They had been together for more than 23 years in total.
Ant later married his former personal assistant Anne-Marie Corbett in 2021. The couple welcomed their son Wilder in 2024. Meanwhile, Lisa was said to have split from actor boyfriend Grant Kilburn earlier this year.
What did a close friend reveal about Ant McPartlin Lisa Armstrong split?
Craig praised Lisa’s resilience and her success at work. He said she has kept going through years of upheaval.
He told The Mirror: “She’s doing amazingly. I’m so proud of her. I mean, she’s the head make-up artist for Strictly! She’s so passionate about her career.
“She’s had a rough time for sure, but she’s come out the other side. And she’s moving on with her life – she’s not bitter.”
Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin were together for many years before separating in 2017. Their divorce was finalised in 2020.
- 2006: The former couple bought the west London home.
- 2017: They separated after more than a decade of marriage.
- 2018: Their split became public.
- 2020: Lisa was awarded the property as part of the divorce settlement.
- 2023: A fire caused major damage to the house.
- 2024: The property was listed for sale.
- 2025: Reports said Lisa had accepted an offer, subject to contract.
The sale is significant because it appears to end the last major property link between Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin.
Craig also said their friendship remains strong. He said Lisa regularly visits him in Los Angeles, where he lives with his husband of three years.
He added: “She comes to stay with me in LA. Lisa’s one of my best friends of all time. She’s so funny, loving and supportive.”
Lisa and Craig found fame in 90s pop group Deuce with Kelly O’Keefe and Paul Holmes. Manager Tom Watkins formed the group in 1994.
Deuce was a 1990s pop group formed by manager Tom Watkins in 1994.
The line-up included Lisa Armstrong, Craig Robert Young, Kelly O’Keefe and Paul Holmes.
The group achieved four UK top 30 singles before splitting in 1997.
The setbacks after the split still draw attention
Lisa’s TV career has continued to thrive. She works as head makeup artist on Strictly Come Dancing.
Still, the years after Ant McPartlin and Lisa Armstrong’s split brought more heartbreak. In 2023, she split from boyfriend James Green, a Sky electrician, and he moved out of her home.
That same year, a fire ripped through the Chiswick home she bought after the divorce, according to the Daily Mail.
The former couple’s history still fascinates fans. Lisa met Ant on a Smash Hits tour in Newcastle in 1994.
At the time, Lisa performed with Deuce. Ant was rising with Declan Donnelly as PJ & Duncan after Byker Grove.
They stayed together for more than 10 years before Ant proposed in Dubai in 2005.
Earlier this year, the former couple appeared to share a small thaw after their dog Hurley died. Daily Mail reported that Ant arranged flowers to be hand-delivered to Lisa’s home the day after the chocolate Labrador died.
The report also said Lisa was “touched” by the gesture and joked to friends it was the first time Ant had sent her flowers “in years”. The former couple also briefly reunited at the London vets where Hurley was put to sleep in March.
ED! has reached out to Lisa’s reps for comment.