Heston Blumenthal, 56, splits from ‘wife’ whose friends say never legally married him

Heston Blumenthal has split from his ‘wife’ and the mother of his youngest child  Stephanie Gouveia after they unofficially married in 2018.

According to The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden, the TV chef, 56, and the French estate agent went their separate ways ‘some time ago’.

Heston is now in a new relationship with a woman named Melanie, who is described as being a ‘younger low-key French woman with black hair’, by The Times.

Friends of Stephanie say she never legally married Heston, who is 21 years her senior, even though his spokesman was reported to have said they exchanged vows in 2018.

A friend of hers said: ‘Heston and Stephanie actually split up some time ago.

‘Despite all the reports at the time, they were never married.’ 

Goodbye: According to The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden, the TV chef, 56, and the French estate agent went their separate ways ‘some time ago’ 

A spokeswoman for the Michelin-starred chef was quoted as saying in 2018: ‘Heston and Stephanie are delighted to announce they’ve got married. 

‘They were spending some quality time together and decided to seize the moment.’

The couple had been on holiday in the Maldives and were said to have ‘decided to make things official in an impromptu beach-front ceremony’, according to a report.

However, a spokesman for Stephanie has now said: ‘Marriage should be recognised by legal authorities. This wasn’t. What happened does not constitute a marriage in a legally binding sense.’

New romance? Heston is now in a new relationship with a woman named Melanie, who is described as being a ‘younger low-key French woman with black hair’, by The Times 

Happier times: Friends of Stephanie say she never legally married Heston, who is 21 years her senior, even though his spokesman was reported to have said they exchanged vows in 2018 

A similar situation occurred between Jerry Hall and Sir Mick Jagger.

Jerry believed that she and Mick had married in Bali but when she began divorce proceedings, the Rolling Stones singer said the ceremony hadn’t been official.

The High Court in the UK agreed and declared it void.

Heston and his first wife, Zanna, the mother of his first three children, divorced in 2016 after deciding to separate in 2011.

First wife: Heston and his first wife, Zanna, the mother of his first three children, divorced in 2016 after deciding to separate in 2011 (pictured together)

Zanna stood by Heston during his rise to cheffing stardom and he admits she brought up their three children as he grafted in the kitchen.

When asked why their marriage ended during an interview with the times, Heston said: ‘Who knows? People always search for one reason and life is more complex. 

‘Certainly, my ex-wife was a huge reason for the success of the Duck… Someone had to take the kids to school and do all that work and look after the house, because I was never there.’

During their marriage, Heston had an affair with U.S. cookery writer Suzanne Pirret, who has said her favourite things are ‘food and sex’.

Heston moved to Provence, France, in 2018 in order to live near L’Oustau de Baumanière, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant he first visited age 16.

He credits the restaurant for kickstarting his desire to become a chef. Heston claims he returned to ‘rediscover the magic’ of cooking after falling out of love with it.

Heston remains strongly connected with his UK restaurants including the Fat Duck.