Lisa Armstrong has told OK! she is ready to be on friendlier terms with Ant McPartlin (Image: Instagram)
Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin have been at loggerheads for years following their toxic marriage split in 2018 – but it seems that their feud may have finally come to an end
After years of a frosty relationship following their tumultuous split in 2018, it appears Lisa Armstrong and Ant McPartlin might be on the road to amity.
In a surprising move last week, Strictly Come Dancing’s makeup maestro Lisa Armstrong, aged 47, extended an olive branch towards her former beau by liking a post on his Instagram.
The snap featured a delighted Ant, aged 48, with his beloved dogs, celebrating International Dog Day, and notably included Hurley, the chocolate Labrador they once shared.
Insiders have revealed that following a blissful getaway to Los Angeles, Lisa has returned with a newfound sense of peace keen to dissolve any residual discord with Ant.
Lisa Armstrong extended an olive branch to her famous ex earlier this week by liking an Instagram post that featured Hurley, the chocolate Labrador they formerly shared ( Image: antanddec/Instagram)
Ant McPartlin and Lisa Armstrong had a tumultuous split and the presenter has since moved on with Anne-Marie Corbett ( Image:Getty Images)
“Lisa feels like a different person since getting back from LA, it was just what she needed. She spent a couple of weeks with her best friend and former bandmate, Craig Robert Young, and they spent the whole time laughing together and trying to forget any worries and stress,” our source explains.
“Since getting back, Lisa feels a lot more at ease with things as she starts work on Strictly again. And one of the first things she did was show that any animosity between her and Ant has gone by liking an Instagram post he put up which included their dog Hurley”, reports OK!.
“Before, Lisa could never have done this, and she wants to prove that she has finally moved on and is happy for Ant and his new life. It used to hurt her so much, but she’s done a lot of work and is now very happy and content in her life.”
Lisa, who was with Ant for over two decades and married for 11 years, has been very open about her feelings towards him in the past, even publicly expressing these feelings.
The couple’s marriage ended after Ant’s high-profile struggle with alcohol and drug dependency, and the situation became more bitter when he rapidly moved onto a new relationship with his PA Anne-Marie Corbett.
Ant went on to marry Anne-Marie, 46, in 2021; they had their first child together, a son named Wilder in May 2024, something Lisa is said to found difficult to accept.
The revelation that Lisa and Ant were reportedly involved in a custody dispute over Hurley is also noteworthy. They adopted this much-loved dog in 2013.
It was claimed that she demanded sole custody of Hurley following Ant becoming a father. However, it seems her stance has recently shifted.
“Initially she had wanted full custody of Hurley once Ant became a dad, but she realises there’s no point in punishing him. And it shows that they are now on much friendlier terms after seven years of fighting,” mentioned our source.
It’s worth noting that “Lisa has realised that it’s really not worth it and would welcome peace talks with Ant which would be a shock after everything that’s happened. But she hates the thought of there being any anger between them after all that they’ve been through and while she knows they can never be friends, she wants them to be civil, especially while they’ve still got Hurley.”
While Ant has happily moved on, Lisa Armstrong’s love life has been less smooth sailing. Last year, she ended things with her Sky electrician beau James Green marking her first public relationship post-Ant after a three-year romance.
At the time, insiders claimed the split was unexpected and it later led to a financial tussle. Lisa seems to be signalling that she’s back in the dating game. She took to Instagram Stories with a quote detailing her ideal partner: “My love language is consistent messaging; when you express you care, tell me you like me, flirt regularly AND actually show up when you say you’re going to,” it outlined.
Moreover, she dropped a hint about overcoming past struggles with a poignant message: “My side of the story doesn’t matter anymore. ‘Life happened, it hurt, I healed, but most importantly I learned who deserves a seat at my table and who will never seat again.”
A confidant recently spilled the beans to us, revealing, “Lisa is still single but is ready to start dating again and has been making a list of what she wants and what she doesn’t. Mainly she just wants to be happy again.”
