Louise and Jamie Redknapp have divorced in just 20 seconds.
The couple were granted a decree nisi at the Central Family Court in London and dissolved their 19-year marriage on Friday.
It was revealed that it was Louise who had filed for divorce earlier in the year, whilst Jamie’s ‘unreasonable behaviour’ was dubbed the reason for their split.
Louise and Jamie Redknapp (pictured together in 2013) have divorced in just 20 seconds today after months living apart
The glamorous showbiz couple – who have two sons – first confirmed their split two months ago, with Louise revealing she had moved out of the family home in October.
In a 25-second hearing at London’s Central Family Court, District Judge Ian Mulkis pronounced the decree nisi.
During the court finding it was announced the reason for their divorce lay with Jamie’s ‘unreasonable behaviour’.
Strictly Come Dancing star Louise, was granted the first stage of her ‘amicable’ divorce from footballer Jamie just hours after she was seen enjoying a night on the town with friend Frankie Bridge.
Partying: Strictly star Louise, 43, was granted the first stage of her ‘amicable’ divorce from footballer Jamie on Friday, hours after she was seen enjoying a night on the town with friend Frankie Bridge
The former Eternal singer – mum to sons Charlie, 13, and Beau, nine – was seen enjoying a night out in Liverpool with Frankie, with the pair laughing and smiling as they headed back to their hotel.
It is believed they had attended a wedding in the area.
Louise previously spoke of loving her ‘amazing’ partner but feeling like a ‘sort of Stepford wife’ who is ‘coming back to who I really am’.
Louise stepped back into the spotlight on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing – but there have been claims that she was getting too close to her partner Kevin Clifton, whose marriage to fellow dancer Karen Clifton also appears to be in trouble.
There have been claims that Karen, who is reportedly dating a new man, telephoned Jamie to warn the former footballer of Louise’s close friendship with her husband.
Louise is relaunching her pop career and is touring for the first time in 15 years.
The couple confirmed their separation in October and their marriage could not be saved (pictured together on holiday in January this year)
Recently Louise said she loved her ‘amazing’ partner Jamie, with whom she has two children, Charley, 13, and Beau, nine, although she had come to feel like ‘a sort of Stepford Wife’ and she was ‘coming back to who I really am’.
Happier times: Louise insisted that neither she nor Jamie (pictured last October) were pushing for a divorce but added that she ‘needed’ to be apart from him while she re-evaluates her life
But their marriage could not be saved.
The decree nisi for L E Redknapp v J F Redknapp was pronounced before a judge on Friday.
A decree absolute ending the marriage can be issued after six weeks, should no objections be formally made.
The divorce came amid claims the former England star, 44, was ‘uncomfortable’ with his wife’s return to the spotlight after her stint on Strictly last year.
She was said to have felt like a ‘Stepford wife’, having given up her showbiz career when they had their first child.
Sources told the Sun earlier this month: ‘They have come to a mutual agreement that divorce is the only option. There’s no going back’.
The former Liverpool player was seen without his wedding ring days before his wife reportedly filed for divorce, and revealed he would spend the Christmas period working.
The singer admitted the couple were going through ‘hard times’ in September, and in October she admitted to living apart from her husband.
Mrs Redknapp said it was dancing in the BBC show that made her realise she ‘couldn’t go back’.
‘I became a sort of Stepford Wife, wanting to be perfect at it,’ she said.
‘It was only when I agreed to do Strictly Come Dancing that I realised I couldn’ t just go back to that. I didn’t want to continue running around after everyone else, and occasionally promoting a yoghurt or doing a little TV presenting job.’
The couple are said to be remaining amicable for sons Charley, 13, and Beau, nine, pictured with their mum
Louise stepped back into the spotlight on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing – but there have been claims that she was getting too close to her partner Kevin Clifton, who is similarly going through marital strife at present
Her Strictly co-star Daisy Lowe was accused of ‘leading her astray’ with her wild partying and active social life.
Louise said new friend Daisy Lowe convinced her she was still sexy, encouraging her to show off her ‘gorgeous body’ on the show, when she believed she needed to lose weight
The former Eternal singer, who was a runner-up in last year’s series with professional partner Kevin Clifton, said she felt ‘physically sick’ at the prospect of never performing again.
She said: ‘I wanted to sing. I wanted to perform. I wanted to go back to work on a stage in front of an audience. I actually felt physically sick at the idea I’d never have that buzz again, that fulfilment I get from performing. And that is when the s*** hit the fan.’
Mrs Redknapp, who gave up her singing career in 2004 after the birth of her first child, admitted she struggled to watch her husband’s blossoming TV career.
After her life-changing turn on the dancing show, she has since performed in the starring role of Sally Bowles in the musical Cabaret.
Back in October, she said the couple still spoke ‘every day’ and that they were still in love.
‘He’s an amazing man and we’ve had 20 good years together’, she said.
‘I know he’s trying to understand that I do need to do this.’
‘I have no idea what is going to happen, all I know is that I fought for this, it’s taken everything, but this is something I need to do – for me.’
Way back when: In October, Louise revealed she ‘lost herself’ during her marriage to the former footballer, while hinting at feelings of hurt and insecurity in the wake of the split (pictured together in 2009)
The footballer is understood to have stayed at the family home in Oxshott, Surrey, while Mrs Redknapp has been renting a home nearby.
News of the split comes after she reportedly hired former dance partner Kevin Clifton as the official choreographer for her career comeback.
The pair were also spotted spending time together in a London bar last week shortly after it was claimed his wife Karen Clifton had rang Jamie to warn the footballer of the pair’s friendship.
Kevin and Karen married in an idyllic ceremony in July 2015, with a bevy of superstar guests. But earlier this year they were hit with reports of strife.
Speaking about his wife after their wedding, Kevin said: ‘We have such a good laugh together all the time. My life wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for Karen. She’s perfect. She’s always been my best friend.’
Karen is said to have become embroiled in an affair with accountant Stuart Wood – but the couple are said to have split at the end of November.
Also widely discussed in Louise’s split was her Strictly co-star Daisy Lowe, who Louise admitted convinced her she was still sexy, encouraging her to show off her ‘gorgeous body’ on the show, when she believed she needed to lose weight.
In her candid interview with The Telegraph she had an epiphany when Daisy walked into her dressing room when she was dressed conservatively.
Slimmed down: Louise (here in August 2015) admitted that part of her motivation to take part in Strictly was to ‘help her lose weight’
She revealed Daisy said: ‘Oh my God, look at your gorgeous body. You have to wear a sexy dress. She kept on at me to wear something sexy and by week three, I was in a leotard and tights not feeling self-conscious at all.’
Louise admitted that part of her motivation to take part in Strictly was to ‘help her lose weight’.
She added: ‘Daisy loves other women and she’s all about body confidence. Her saying that was like a jolt because I was so conscious of my fat ankles and my excess half-a-stone – Daisy is a tiny size eight.’
The star has recently been on a tour in the stage production musical Cabaret, where she plays vampy leading lady Sally Bowles, a role which show her pose in underwear, stockings and suspenders for her publicity shots.
Louise said: ‘Sally is extremely vulnerable, extremely fragile – yet on the outside, she’s a very ballsy woman who wants to be a star and does all she can to survive.
Alluding to her own personal heartbreak and that she was trying to be ‘brave’ in the wake of the marriage breakdown, the star said: ‘I think lots of women will relate to how she puts on a brave face and always soldiers on, even when she’s terribly wounded and terribly hurt and insecure and unsure.’