Latest news with #Martine
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
'I cut off my famous daughter after my son died - I want her to know I'm sorry'
Martine McCutcheon and her mother, Jenny Tomlin, were once inseparable, but a sudden family death led to a heartbreaking fallout. Now, a distraught Jenny yearns for reconciliation. "There was nothing she didn't include me in," shares Jenny. "We did all the wonderful stuff – the premiere of Love Actually, the restaurants – but the memories I cherish are of us just sitting on my bed, bringing up old memories and laughing. I miss that." Their bond began to crumble following the tragic passing of Martine's brother Laurence John – affectionately known as LJ – in 2022, at the tender age of 31. Jenny admits she experienced an emotional breakdown and pushed Martine away. In an exclusive interview with OK!, Jenny, 69, expresses her desire to apologise to Martine, 49, for distancing herself, reports the Mirror. "When I lost LJ, I detached. I was so heartbroken I couldn't talk to Martine," she confesses. "There was no big row – Martine tried to contact me for months, but I didn't answer. Martine was grieving and needed me, too. I want the chance to say sorry. I miss her so much – it physically hurts." Martine mcCutcheon and mum Jenny at Martine's 30th birthday party. (Image: Getty Images) Martine McCutcheon in garden on a picnic blanket in garden with her late brother AJ (Image: martinemccutcheon/Instagram) Jenny and Martine did have a brief encounter last October, but it wasn't the reunion Jenny had hoped for. "Martine texted me out of the blue," recalls Jenny. "She'd moved into a new home and wondered if my husband Alan could do some painting. "We jumped at the chance and went over, but we didn't talk in depth. It was awkward and the atmosphere felt heavy. There had been tentative discussions about festive arrangements, though nothing concrete was settled." Jenny reveals this marked the beginning of a prolonged period of silence. Drawing parallels with another celebrity family drama that's captured public attention, Jenny reflects: "I understand the pain Victoria Beckham is going through over her estrangement from Brooklyn. He was her firstborn, too. "It's a heartbreaking situation for anybody who is estranged or has lost their child." When speaking about the devastating loss of LJ, Jenny's voice becomes fragile with emotion. "It's not the natural order to lose a child." Jenny acknowledges that her actions "broke" Martine's heart. "Eventually, I did pull myself out of that dark hole, but maybe it was too late," she admits. Describing the tragic day LJ passed away, Jenny recounts receiving a devastating call from his fiancée, informing her that he had collapsed and couldn't be resuscitated. Still dressed in her nightwear, Jenny made the frantic hour-and-a-half journey from her Aylesbury home in Buckinghamshire to LJ's residence near the Essex coastline – but she arrived too late. "My precious boy was on the floor, wrapped up. I remember saying, 'It's OK to open your eyes now, son, I'm here'," she recalls through tears. "They'd worked hard doing CPR on him, but couldn't bring him back. It was like a nightmare. I couldn't believe my boy was gone." An autopsy revealed that LJ – who was a non-smoker and teetotaller – had passed away from acute ischaemic heart disease and diabetes. Jenny phoned Martine from the scene, but was so overwhelmed with grief that her daughter had to talk to the paramedics to understand what had occurred. Later, Jenny drove to Martine's place. "She looked at me and realised I needed looking after," Jenny recounts. "She'd prepared the spare room, stroked my hair, gave me a cuddle and, somehow, I slept." LJ was laid to rest on October 31, 2022. Afterwards, Jenny describes her life as having plunged "down a deep, dark pit". She admits, "I was seen by a mental health team and given anti-anxiety meds." Martine McCutcheon and mum (Image: Getty Images) Jenny Tomlin in her garden (Image: David Cummings) Martine, known for her role as Tiffany Mitchell in EastEnders between 1994 and 1998, was just 15 when LJ was born, and Jenny remembers how she took on a motherly role towards him. Since LJ's passing, Jenny has been crippled by anxiety, which she believes is why she hasn't seen her daughter or her 10 year old grandson, Rafferty, for such a long time. "I didn't contact Martine," she confesses. "I abandoned her. I was so consumed by my own sorrow that I neglected my other child. That was the beginning, and things just... snowballed. And here we are." Jenny, an author of both novels and memoirs, including Behind Closed Doors which details the abuse she endured as a child, mentions she's tried reaching out to Martine recently – through calls, texts, and sending cards – but alleges she's received no reply. Just a few weeks back, after an epiphany, Jenny and Alan took the hour and a half drive to Martine's place in Surrey. "I was banging on the door shouting her name," she confesses. "But nobody answered. So I gave up, got in the car and drove home distraught. I turned to Alan and said, 'I don't think she'll ever speak to me again'. "That's why I've done this interview as a plea for Martine to get in touch." Recently, Jenny has been feeling more like her old self and has even begun penning a memoir about LJ. Yet, the remorse over her relationship with Martine lingers. "I let Martine down. There's not a day goes by when I don't think of her. "Losing Rafferty has felt like another death," she reveals. Her affection for Rafferty has spurred her to start writing children's stories, which she intends to dedicate to him. When Martine's 18-year romance with musician Jack McManus ended last year, Jenny and Martine were estranged. It's a topic Jenny refuses to comment on. "That's between Martine and Jack," she states. "I don't think I'll ever stop trying when it comes to my girl. If I could speak to Martine, I'd tell her how sorry I am. I've lost one child, I don't want to lose another." As Jenny approaches her 70th birthday next year, her ultimate wish is to have a cup of tea with her daughter while watching her grandson play outside. "I've seen what silence does to families," she remarks. "I don't want that for us. I don't want to be another story of regret. I want us to love each other. To find our way back." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Martine McCutcheon's mum reveals real reason she's estranged from daughter after tragedy
Martine McCutcheon's mum Jenny Tomlin has revealed that following the death of her son she fell into a depression which led to her pushing Martine out of her life but now wants to reconciliate Following the tragic death of Martine McCutcheon's younger brother Laurence John in 2022, the actress and singer was left devastated. But it wasn't just the death of her beloved brother that broke her heart, the relationship between her and her mother Jenny Tomlin also started to crumble, leaving the pair estranged. At the time of Laurence's death, who was only 31 at the time, Martine, 49, famous for her role in EastEnders and the iconic film Love Actually, Martine revealed that her heart is "forever broken." In an interview with OK! Magazine, Jenny explains that it was her fault their relationship fell apart. She admits that she suffered an emotional breakdown and ended up pushing Martine further and further away. But she is now desperate to reconcile. Recalling their close bond, Jenny told the publication: "We did all the wonderful stuff – the premiere of Love Actually, the restaurants – but the memories I cherish are of us just sitting on my bed, bringing up old memories and laughing. I miss that." Explaining her mindset at the time, Jenny continued: "When I lost LJ, I detached. I was so heartbroken I couldn't talk to Martine." She added: "There was no big row – Martine tried to contact me for months, but I didn't answer. Martine was grieving and needed me, too. I want the chance to say sorry. I miss her so much – it physically hurts." Last year, Martine reached out to Jenny but their reunion was anything but the one she had hoped for as little was discussed in order for them to move forward. Martine had asked if Jenny's husband could do "some painting" in her new home. She explained that she literally jumped at the opportunity to visit her daughter in a bid to mend their fractured relationship - but instead their union felt "awkward" and "the atmosphere felt heavy." Jenny has now gone as far as to liken her split with Martine with Victoria Beckham, who is reportedly going through the same thing with her eldest son Brooklyn Beckham. Laurence, who was known to family and friends as LJ, did not drink alcohol or smoke, but had suffered with acute ischaemic heart disease and diabetes. Realising the error of her ways at the time, Jenny candidly admits that she had "abandoned" Martine as she was "so wrapped up in my own grief that I was neglecting my other child." Jenny explains that the reason for her interview is to hopefully show Martine that she is ready to put the past behind her. She explained that she has called, text and sent cards to the mum of one but has had no response. She had even driven to her house and shouted her name out. But again was faced with silence. Jenny hopes that one day she could have a cup of tea with her daughter while her grandson plays in her garden.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Martine McCutcheon's mum 'heartbroken' after being cut off from daughter after son's death
Martine McCutcheon's mum Jenny Tomlin has made a public plea for her daughter to get back in touch. Martine McCutcheon and her mum, Jenny Tomlin, used to be inseparable, but a sudden family tragedy sparked a heartbreaking rift. Now devastated Jenny is longing for reconciliation. "There was nothing she didn't include me in," says Jenny. "We did all the wonderful stuff – the premiere of Love Actually, the restaurants – but the memories I cherish are of us just sitting on my bed, bringing up old memories and laughing. I miss that." Their bond began crumbling following the devastating loss of EastEnders favourite Martine's brother Laurence John – lovingly called LJ – in 2022, aged just 31. Jenny reveals she endured an emotional collapse and drove Martine away. Jenny, 69, desperately wants to make amends with Martine, 49, for shutting her out, she discloses in an exclusive chat with our sister title OK! She said: "When I lost LJ, I detached. I was so heartbroken I couldn't talk to Martine. There was no big row – Martine tried to contact me for months, but I didn't answer. Martine was grieving and needed me, too. I want the chance to say sorry. I miss her so much – it physically hurts." Jenny and Martine did reunite once, fleetingly, last October, but it wasn't the emotional meeting she'd envisioned. "Martine texted me out of the blue," says Jenny. "She'd moved into a new home and wondered if my husband Alan could do some painting. We jumped at the chance and went over, but we didn't talk in depth. It was awkward and the atmosphere felt heavy." There was loose discussion about Christmas arrangements, but nothing was set in stone. That, Jenny reveals, was when the silence truly took hold. Reflecting on another high-profile family rift that has dominated the headlines, Jenny admits: "I understand the pain Victoria Beckham is going through over her estrangement from Brooklyn. He was her firstborn, too. It's a heartbreaking situation for anybody who is estranged or has lost their child." Remembering the agony of losing LJ, Jenny's voice breaks. "It's not the natural order to lose a child." But Jenny acknowledges the error she made "shattered" Martine's heart. "Eventually, I did pull myself out of that dark hole, but maybe it was too late," she admits. Recounting the day LJ passed away, Jenny explains she received a phone call from his fiancée, who told her he'd collapsed and they couldn't revive him. Still wearing her pyjamas, Jenny made the hour and a half journey from her home in Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire to LJ's place by the Essex coast – but it was too late. "My precious boy was on the floor, wrapped up. I remember saying, 'It's okay to open your eyes now, son, I'm here'," she recalls, tearfully. "They'd worked hard doing CPR on him, but couldn't bring him back. It was like a nightmare. I couldn't believe my boy was gone." An autopsy revealed that LJ – a non-smoker and teetotaller – had tragically died from acute ischaemic heart disease and diabetes. In her distress, Jenny called Martine from the scene, but was so upset that her daughter had to speak with the paramedics to understand what had occurred. Later that night, Jenny drove to Martine's. "She looked at me and realised I needed looking after," shares Jenny. "She'd prepared the spare room, stroked my hair, gave me a cuddle and, somehow, I slept." LJ was laid to rest on October 31, 2022. Following this, Jenny describes her life as going "down a deep, dark pit". She adds, "I was seen by a mental health team and given anti-anxiety meds." Martine, known for her role as Tiffany Mitchell in EastEnders from 1994 to 1998, was only 15 when LJ was born and Jenny remembers how she became a sort of surrogate mum to him. After LJ's death, Jenny was crippled by anxiety, which she believes is the reason she hasn't seen her daughter or grandson, 10-year-old Rafferty, in such a long time. "I didn't contact Martine," she admits. "I abandoned her. I was so wrapped up in my own grief that I was neglecting my other child. That was the start of it, and things just... snowballed. And here we are." Jenny- an author of novels and memoirs, including Behind Closed Doors about the abuse she suffered as a child - says she's tried to reach out to Martine recently – calling, texting, sending cards – but claims she has received no response. Just a few weeks ago, following a moment of clarity, Jenny and Alan made the 90-minute journey to Martine's home in Surrey. "I was banging on the door shouting her name," she confesses. "But nobody answered. So I gave up, got in the car and drove home distraught. I turned to Alan and said, 'I don't think she'll ever speak to me again'. That's why I've done this interview as a plea for Martine to get in touch." Over the past couple of months, Jenny has started to feel more like herself and has begun penning a memoir about LJ. However, her guilt over Martine lingers. "I let Martine down. There's not a day goes by when I don't think of her. Losing Rafferty has felt like another death," she said. Her love for Rafferty has inspired Jenny to write children's books, which she hopes to dedicate to him. When Martine's 18-year relationship with musician Jack McManus ended last year, she and Jenny were not in contact. It's a topic Jenny is unwilling to discuss. "That's between Martine and Jack," she states. She adds: "I don't think I'll ever stop trying when it comes to my girl. If I could speak to Martine, I'd tell her how sorry I am. I've lost one child, I don't want to lose another." Next year, Jenny will turn 70. The best gift anyone could give her would be to share a cup of tea with her daughter, while her grandson plays in the garden. "I've seen what silence does to families," she declares. "I don't want that for us. I don't want to be another story of regret. I want us to love each other. To find our way back." Grief expert Tina Chummun, Person Centred Trauma Specialist Psychotherapist of Care2Counsel, says of Jenny's situation: "When a mother loses a child, especially in a traumatic or unexpected way, her nervous system can become overwhelmed - we often see intense grief manifest as numbness, withdrawal or cognitive collapse. "If you are grieving the loss of one child, and in that shattered fragile state, couldn't show up for the other. From the daughter's perspective, her mum may have seemed to disappear just when she needed her most, creating a rupture that now feels insurmountable." Tina adds: "For a mother, emerging from that fog years later and finding the door closed can feel like experiencing a second bereavement - the living grief of estrangement as though she's lost both children. Rebuilding trust starts with accountability, patience and time.. "Trauma doesn't always look like tears - sometimes, it looks like silence behind closed doors. The bridge back is built slowly, with humility and hope. Vulnerability can be the bridge that grief once burned." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
‘I miss daughter Martine McCutcheon so much after son's death - we don't speak'
Bestselling author Jenny Tomlin was devastated by the sudden death of her son in 2022. Consumed by grief she lost touch with her daughter, former EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon. Now, she's pleading for her forgiveness Martine McCutcheon and her mum, Jenny Tomlin, used to be joined at the hip, but a sudden death in the family led to a devastating breakdown. Now heartbroken Jenny is desperate for a reconciliation. 'There was nothing she didn't include me in,' says Jenny. 'We did all the wonderful stuff – the premiere of Love Actually, the restaurants – but the memories I cherish are of us just sitting on my bed, bringing up old memories and laughing. I miss that.' Their relationship started to fall apart after the tragic death of Martine's brother Laurence John – known affectionately as LJ – in 2022. He was just 31. Jenny says she suffered an emotional breakdown and pushed Martine away. Jenny, 69, wants to apologise to Martine, 49, for cutting her off, she reveals in an exclusive interview with OK!. 'When I lost LJ, I detached. I was so heartbroken I couldn't talk to Martine,' she says. 'There was no big row – Martine tried to contact me for months, but I didn't answer. Martine was grieving and needed me, too. 'I want the chance to say sorry. I miss her so much – it physically hurts.' Jenny and Martine did meet once, briefly, last October, but it wasn't the reunion she hoped for. 'Martine texted me out of the blue,' says Jenny. 'She'd moved into a new home and wondered if my husband Alan could do some painting. We jumped at the chance and went over, but we didn't talk in depth. It was awkward and the atmosphere felt heavy.' There was vague talk of Christmas plans, but nothing was confirmed. That, Jenny says, was when the silence truly began. Reflecting on another high-profile rift that has made headlines, Jenny says: 'I understand the pain Victoria Beckham is going through over her estrangement from Brooklyn. He was her firstborn, too. It's a heartbreaking situation for anybody who is estranged or has lost their child.' Recalling the pain of losing LJ, Jenny's voice cracks. 'It's not the natural order to lose a child.' But Jenny realises the mistake she made 'broke' Martine's heart. 'Eventually, I did pull myself out of that dark hole, but maybe it was too late,' she says. Recalling the day LJ died, Jenny says she got a phone call from his fiancée, who said he'd collapsed and they couldn't revive him. Still in her pyjamas, Jenny drove the hour and a half from her home in Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire to LJ's by the Essex coast – but it was too late. 'My precious boy was on the floor, wrapped up. I remember saying, 'It's OK to open your eyes now, son, I'm here',' she says, tearfully. 'They'd worked hard doing CPR on him, but couldn't bring him back. 'It was like a nightmare. I couldn't believe my boy was gone.' An autopsy revealed that LJ – who didn't smoke or drink – had succumbed to acute ischaemic heart disease and diabetes. Jenny rang Martine from the scene, but was so distraught her daughter had to speak to paramedics to find out what had happened. In the early hours, Jenny drove to Martine's. 'She looked at me and realised I needed looking after,' Jenny says. 'She'd prepared the spare room, stroked my hair, gave me a cuddle and, somehow, I slept.' LJ was laid to rest on 31 October 2022. After, Jenny says her life went 'down a deep, dark pit'. She says, 'I was seen by a mental health team and given anti-anxiety meds.' Martine, who played Tiffany Mitchell in EastEnders from 1994 to 1998, was 15 when LJ was born and Jenny recalls how she became a sort of surrogate mum to him. Following LJ's death, Jenny was paralysed by anxiety, and suspects this is at the heart of why she hasn't seen her daughter or grandson, 10-year-old Rafferty, in so long. 'I didn't contact Martine,' she says. 'I abandoned her. I was so wrapped up in my own grief that I was neglecting my other child. That was the start of it, and things just… snowballed. And here we are.' Jenny, an author of novels and memoir, including Behind Closed Doors about the abuse she suffered as a child, says she's reached out to Martine recently – calling, texting, sending cards – but claims she has had no response. Just weeks ago, after a moment of clarity, Jenny and Alan drove the 90 minutes to Martine's house in Surrey. 'I was banging on the door shouting her name,' she admits. 'But nobody answered. So I gave up, got in the car and drove home distraught. I turned to Alan and said, 'I don't think she'll ever speak to me again'. 'That's why I've done this interview as a plea for Martine to get in touch.' In the last couple of months, Jenny feels more like herself and has started writing a memoir about LJ. But her guilt over Martine remains. 'I let Martine down. There's not a day goes by when I don't think of her. 'Losing Rafferty has felt like another death,' she says. And her love for Rafferty has inspired Jenny to write children's books, which she hopes to dedicate to him. When Martine's 18-year relationship to musician Jack McManus broke down last year, she and Jenny weren't in contact. And it's not something Jenny is willing to discuss. 'That's between Martine and Jack,' she says. 'I don't think I'll ever stop trying when it comes to my girl. If I could speak to Martine, I'd tell her how sorry I am. I've lost one child, I don't want to lose another.' Next year, Jenny turns 70. The greatest gift anyone could give her would be to share a cuppa with her daughter, while her grandson plays in the garden. 'I've seen what silence does to families,' she says. 'I don't want that for us. I don't want to be another story of regret. I want us to love each other. To find our way back.' 'Trauma doesn't always look like tears' Grief expert Tina Chummun, Person Centred Trauma Specialist Psychotherapist of Care2Counsel, says of Jenny's situation: 'When a mother loses a child, especially in a traumatic or unexpected way, her nervous system can become overwhelmed - we often see intense grief manifest as numbness, withdrawal or cognitive collapse. 'If you are grieving the loss of one child, and in that shattered fragile state, couldn't show up for the other. From the daughter's perspective, her mum may have seemed to disappear just when she needed her most, creating a rupture that now feels insurmountable. Tina adds, "For a mother, emerging from that fog years later and finding the door closed can feel like experiencing a second bereavement - the living grief of estrangement as though she's lost both children. Rebuilding trust starts with accountability, patience and time..' 'Trauma doesn't always look like tears - sometimes, it looks like silence behind closed doors. The bridge back is built slowly, with humility and hope. Vulnerability can be the bridge that grief once burned.'
Daily Mirror
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Martine McCutcheon's pals reveal how Love Actually icon went bankrupt for a second time
Former EastEnders actress Martine McCutcheon is having a rough time of it of late, with the newly single star recently declared bankrupt for a second time Former EastEnders actress Martine McCutcheon has been hit with another blow just a year after parting ways with her husband Jack McManus, with it revealed over the weekend that the newly single star has fallen on hard times financially. The Love Actually actress has reportedly been declared bankrupt, as per court documents, following a petition for insolvency over a debt owed to a finance company, official public records have disclosed. This comes on the heels of her having to reduce the asking price of her beautiful Surrey home. It's now claimed the star, who was once worth millions as an Olivier Award winner with a number one single to her name, lost her money due to "high spending habits" and struggling to land roles amid a battle with ill health. Martine's friends reportedly say their pal made some "highly questionable spending decisions" over recent years, like paying 'thousands' to the Mafia in order to tie the knot with ex Jack in Lake Como, Italy back in 2012. The mum-of-one being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME) in 2011 and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) has also damaged her bank balance and seen her earnings take a dip. One of the star's friends muses how, despite appearing in one of the nation's favourite soaps and classic Christmas film Love Actually, Martine's most iconic roles came about over 20 years ago and "money does not last for ever if you do not invest it wisely." "It has not helped that she loves the finer things in her life, and it is no secret that she has spent more than she should have done over the years," the pal tells the Daily Mail. "She has had bits and pieces of TV work recently – but nothing has come close to being a blockbuster role that might get her out of her financial mess." They add: "It's a real shame as she's immensely talented with a wealth of experience. Hopefully she can turn things around, but she's had a real tough time." A court document indicates that the insolvency order was issued on 31 March this year, a few months after she announced her split from Jack, her husband of 18 years. The couple share a 10 year old son, Rafferty. The bankruptcy ruling, which was filed under her married name, Martine McManus, was handed down in March at the County Court in Guildford, instigated by a petition from a firm named LDF Finance. Meanwhile, Martine's company, Raven Music Ltd, was also wound up last month, a move initiated by HMRC due to outstanding tax bills. The most recent accounts reveal that the business had a tax liability exceeding £175,000, due within the 12-month period post-February 2022. However, the total amount of Martine's personal tax bill remains undisclosed, and it is yet to be determined whether the Official Receiver will call for a public examination of her bankruptcy, which would lay bare her financial situation. This isn't Martine's first brush with financial woes. Despite a previous net worth of around £2million, she faced bankruptcy in 2013 with debts totalling approximately £187,000, including a hefty £150,000 owed to HMRC. By the following year, Martine had been discharged from bankruptcy and was once again financially solvent. She and her now ex-husband splashed out a staggering £1.3million on their former marital home in Surrey just three years prior. Last year, the pair announced their separation after an 18-year marriage. Announcing their separation on social media, she stated: "After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision. I continue to send Jack, all the love, luck and happiness for the next chapter of his life."
