Strictly star Alex Kingston's heartbreak before finding love with TV presenter

Wales Online

15 hours ago

Strictly star Alex Kingston's heartbreak before finding love with TV presenter
The Doctor Who actress has been announced as one of the stars taking part in Strictly Come Dancing 2025.
Strictly Come Dancing contestant Alex Kingston endured a turbulent romantic history before discovering happiness with her current husband.
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The Doctor Who star, 62, has joined the upcoming series of the popular BBC dancing show as she gets ready to showcase her moves on the ballroom floor.
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She won over Doctor Who enthusiasts after securing the part of River Song, with her character featuring during David Tennant, Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi's tenures on the science fiction programme.
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Her television work has included appearances in American medical series ER, costume dramas The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders, Arrow and A Discovery of Witches.
Alex Kingston is getting ready to put her dancing shoes on
(Image: BBC)
Alex has been open about her enthusiasm for Strictly, revealing in 2019: "Sarah Hadland and I talked about how much we'd like to do Strictly Come Dancing. Then I discovered she's a trained ballet dancer. 'Hang on a minute! That's not fair!' So, I can't do it on a season when she is on it!"
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Beyond her screen work, Alex has experienced considerable romantic disappointment. She first met Oscar-nominated performer Ralph Fiennes at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1983.
The pair married ten years later, though their relationship ended catastrophically when Ralph became involved with a woman 18 years his senior.
Alex previously reflected: "We were like strangers – very fragile," reports the Mirror.
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"His mother was dying and somehow we thought the wedding was going to heal everything. But that was crazy, of course."
Ralph Fiennes and Alex met in the 80s
(Image: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
In 1995, Ralph starred in Hamlet at Hackney Empire opposite Francesca Annis-who played Gertrude, his character's mother.
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Despite the age gap, their affair led to him leaving Alex and confessing his love for Francesca.
Ralph, aged 32 at the time, embarked on a romance with Francesca, then 50.
Francesca, who has three kids with photographer Patrick Wiseman, reportedly left him for the actor.
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Alex revealed the depth of her emotional struggle post-divorce to the Daily Mail, saying: "I was feeling worthless, that I would never find anyone else as good as my husband, which is ridiculous, but I had so little self-esteem.
"Divorce is awful but it is also something I don't regret happening to me because it has shaped who I am now."
Their relationship came to an end after an affair
(Image: NY Daily News via Getty Images)
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Ralph and Francesca dated for 10 years between 1997 and 2006 and hit back at age gap concerns.
"Of course I don't spend days agonising over the age difference. How can I? There is nothing I can do about it," she once said.
"Ralph and I have been together ten years now so, whatever happens, we have had a very good, different relationship and an interesting time."
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Their relationship crumbled following explosive claims of infidelity when Romanian singer Corneila Crisan alleged she had conducted a two-year affair with Ralph.
Alex has suffered her fair share of heartbreak
(Image:for Pragnell)
The following day, Ralph and Francesca announced their separation, stating: "Miss Annis confirms today that she and Ralph Fiennes are to separate."
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Ralph's affair had a devastating impact on Alex, who confessed to contemplating suicide.
She later married German writer Florian Haertel and they welcomed a daughter, Salome, in 2001.
However, the couple separated in 2009 and finalised their divorce four years later. Fortunately, Alex has found love again and is now married to TV presenter Jonathan Stamp, with the couple tying the knot in Italy in 2015.
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Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One later this year.