Les Dennis admits adultery

TV beauty Amanda Holden was granted a "quickie" divorce today from her comic actor husband Les Dennis on the grounds of his admitted adultery.

Holden, 32, and Dennis, 49, had announced their seven-year marriage was over in December last year declaring it was an "amicable" split and no-one else was involved.

Divorce documents made public today revealed Dennis told her of his adultery in January this year.

In proceedings lasting just 75 seconds at London's divorce courts in central London, Holden was granted a decree nisi and their marriage was formally ended.

Neither of the stars attended the hearing.

Their case - Holden A L v Heseltine (Dennis's real name) L - was 14th in a list of 31 which went through "on the nod" before District Judge Roberts under the special fast-track procedure.

Holden, as petitioner, was granted a divorce on the grounds of adultery by the respondent (Dennis) with an unnamed woman.

In a question-and-answer style sworn statement dated October 9 this year, Holden, who starred in the BBC1 series Cutting It, is asked to state briefly her reasons for saying the respondent had committed the adultery alleged.

Holden, who gives her address as Hall Road, St John's Wood, north west London, states: "The respondent originally admitted his (ongoing) adultery to me and confirmed this in his Acknowledgement of Service."

She is then asked: "On what date did it first become known to you that the respondent had committed the adultery alleged?"

Holden states: "The respondent informed me of his adultery in January 2003. The adultery is continuing."

Asked if she found it "intolerable" to live with the respondent, Holden answers "Yes."

She said that since January 2003 she had not lived with the respondent in the same household.

The co-respondent is not named.

In another question and answer document Dennis is asked if he intended to defend the case and he answers "no".

The entertainer is asked: "In the case of a petition alleging adultery do you admit the adultery alleged in the petition?" He said: "Yes."

Holden, currently starring in the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie in the West End, and Dennis, formerly the host of ITV1's Family Fortunes, met in Bournemouth where they were appearing in different shows on the south coast town's pier.

She was 22 at the time while Dennis was 39.

They married in 1995 at Richmond Hill United Reformed Church in Bournemouth.
Their marriage was rocked when Holden had a brief affair with Men Behaving Badly actor Neil Morrissey early in 2000.

After spending time apart following the fling, they attempted to give their marriage a second try.