Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson’s marriage has stalled.
According to sources quoted by The Daily Mail, Clarkson’s wife of 21 years, Frances, is divorcing him.
The couple had already been living apart for three years, with reports that Clarkson had engaged in extra-marital affairs being at the root of their unhappiness.
The Clarksons had apparently been trying to work on their relationship, and were spotted together two months ago.
However, Frances Clarkson took a holiday in Majorca, Spain, last month, with her best friend to celebrate the end of her marriage.
“Apparently Francie had a really jolly boozy time because she is finally getting a divorce from Jeremy and she was celebrating that,” a source said.
“All her friends have been waiting for years for her to do it and she finally has.”
A source close to Clarkson denied that the couple are divorced and emphasised that the Clarksons remain married, for now. However, when pressed over whether the couple are getting a divorce, the source said: “Getting [divorced] and divorced are different.”
Frances, Clarkson’s second wife, is set for a substantial payout when the split is finalised. Last year, Clarkson earned £14-million from Top Gear. His fortune is estimated at £30-million.The couple have two daughters and a son together.
The marriage, however, has been under strain for some time.
In 2002, Clarkson was caught kissing a TV producer in a car, and later, in a passionate embrace in a doorway.
In 2011, he was accused of conducting an affair with events organiser Phillipa Sage while touring South Africa, Australia and Norway with his fellow Top Gear presenters James May and Richard Hammond.
Clarkson was said to have brazenly kissed Sage in front of observers, but the presenter dismissed the incident at “two colleagues fooling around”. Shortly afterwards, Clarkson moved into a bachelor flat in London.
Last year, Clarkson was spotted kissing Sage again, this time as the pair were on holiday together in Greece. - Tonight Reporter