Les Dennis spills on Amanda Holden marriage and Family Fortunes fallout
Comedian, actor and Big Brother star Les Dennis has opened up about his ill-fated marriage to Amanda Holden, 52, and his fallout with Family Fortunes.
The 69-year-old spoke with presenter Kate Thornton on her podcast White Wine Question Time about his marriage to the Britain’s Got Talent star and how their relationship marked a huge chapter in his life.
Earlier this year Les revealed how his ex-wife's affair with Neil Morrissey left him feeling “damaged” - but now, two decades later, he has forgiven her and bears no hard feelings.
The couple wed in 1995 when she was 22 and he was 40, and split in 2002 following the affair. Men Behaving Badly actor Neil, 60, apologised for the affair in 2014.
In March, Amanda said she felt the marriage to Les had 'safety' which she craved, explaining: "I was very young and I had a lot to learn about life."
Amanda Holden among stars fronting Comic Relief as Red Nose has 'makeover'
Les revealed he would have his ex-wife Amanda Holden feature in a film about his life (PA)
Amanda is now married to Chris Hughes (Getty Images)Speaking with former first X Factor presenter Kate, 50, the two discussed a number of topics including who would be included if Les ever decided to make a film of his life.
Admitting Amanda would be one of his "couldn't have done it without you’s", he said: "Well, I suppose Amanda would have to be there. It's a chapter in my life that was huge, and I have no idea who to cast in that role."
With Kate commenting that she thought the Cutting It actress could probably do it herself Les appeared unsure, replying: "Maybe, maybe yes."
Former Coronation Street star Les also brought up a strange coincidence that not everyone will know, about how his relationships have been strangely linked over the years.
Discussing his former manager Mike Hughes, Les told a story about how excited he and his ex-wife Lynn had been about being signed by Mike at the beginning of his career.
He said: "…I tell this story in my book that when Mike became my manager in 1973 and Lynn and I were about to get married – my first wife, Lynn – we were excited that Mike had become my manager.
"She said, 'let's drive past his house' because he lived on Queens Drive in Liverpool (…) we passed, and the curtains were open, and I went, 'look, there he is', and we saw Mike Hughes picking up a little child and swinging the child around.
"Lynn, later, after a lot of things had happened in my life said to me, 'Just think, if we'd known then, had somebody tapped on our shoulders as we were sat in the front of the car and said to us then that you two are going to marry next year, but your marriage won't last, and you Les will marry a younger woman who will one day then marry the child that is being swung around in that room...'"
In a spooky twist of fate, Les's second wife Amanda went on to marry his former manager Mike Hughes' son Chris, on December 10, 2008, at St Margaret's Church in Somerset, with the fancy reception held at Babington House.
The couple have two daughters, Alexa and Hollie but in February 2011, Amanda tragically lost their baby son Theo when he was stillborn seven months into Amanda's pregnancy.
Amanda Holden sizzles in red hot lingerie ahead of Valentine's Day in racy shoot
During the podcast Les also discussed the real reason for his departure from hit gameshow Family Fortunes, which he presented from 1987 to 2001, and going on Celebrity Big Brother to reboot his career.
Les quit his hosting role on Family Fortunes after he was offered an 'insulting' pay cut.
Les appeared on Big Brother after quitting Family Fortunes (Videograb E4)He said: "I'd just come out of the Big Brother house and the phone wasn't, you know (ringing). I went in thinking that I was going to get a reboot, everybody says they're going to the Big Brother House or a show like that for charity or whatever, and certainly at that time there was no fee when we were doing those... there was no fee.
"You say, 'oh, I'm going in for charity', but I was going in to try and kick start again because Family Fortunes had ended. I'd decided to leave it because it had gone to a daytime slot. I left it because of money, to be honest. They offered an insultingly 98% pay cut."
Les has previously admitted that going on Big Brother was not his "wisest decision", as he appeared on it whilst his marriage to Amanda Holden was breaking down.
He spent most of his time talking to the chickens, telling him he liked their eggs and that he wouldn't take them for granted, with Piers Morgan cruelly labelling him as the 'most pathetic man in Britain'.
He said: "You go in for a reboot because the phone wasn’t ringing. But it certainly wasn’t ringing after!"
His appearance earned him the nickname Les Miserables thanks to his tales of woe, but he believe his stint allowed him to reinvent himself.
Les revealed: "If I hadn’t done Big Brother then Ricky Gervais wouldn’t have called me and invited me on to Extras. Playing, as he called it, a twisted, demented version of myself. I even added my own stuff. I smashed that Les Miserables image."
White Wine Question Time is available to listen to on all podcast platforms.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
