Martine McCutcheon revealed the shocking news on Thursday that her husband Jack McManus has left her after 18 years together.
The couple got married in 2012 On picturesque Lake Como in Italy, five years after they began dating, they welcomed their nine-year-old son Rafferty.
He The inhabitants of the East End icon written: ‘After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided that it is best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision.’
Jack is a singer, songwriter and producer and just two weeks ago Martine shared that she had tragically lost her father recently.
And Martine has also had her share of grief after losing her brother. LJ at the age of 31 in 2022.
Below, MailOnline takes a look at their life together as they announce their split:
Martine McCutcheon revealed the shocking news on Thursday that her husband Jack McManus has left her after 18 years together
The EastEnders icon wrote: ‘After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided that it is best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision.’
Jack’s musical life
Jack is a successful singer, songwriter and producer and trained at the famous BRIT school.
He works with artists such as The Chainsmokers, The Wanted, Afrojack, The Shires, Nico & Vinz and Thomas Jack.
She has toured with major artists such as John Mayer, Scouting for Girls, Amy MacDonald and Sam Sparro.
He also co-wrote a song for Boyzone’s 2010 number one comeback album, Separate Cars.
Jack’s first album, Either Side of Midnight, peaked at number 22 in the UK Albums Chart, while the lead single, Bang on the Piano, peaked at number 45, just outside the Top 40.
Born in West Wickham, London, he is also known for his work in Cake The Musical.
Combining a multi-genre pop soundtrack with 18th-century France, Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist retells a story that sparked a revolution.
Jack is a successful singer, songwriter and producer and trained at the famous BRIT school.
The tragic death of Jack’s father
Martine and Jack’s shock split comes just weeks after she paid tribute to Jack on his birthday and revealed she was mourning the death of his father.
Sharing photos of Jack with their son, Martine expressed that she hoped that in time her husband would be able to see how loved he is and what a role model he is to his own son.
“Dear Jack, Happy 40th Birthday darling. I know this is a strange and bittersweet situation as you have lost your beloved father Mick who was your best friend… It’s so hard to see you missing someone so much,” Martine wrote.
Acknowledging the loss of her brother LJ at the age of 31 in 2022, Martine continued: ‘You know that when I lost my brother I understood your pain and your grief. And I also know that with time, you will value the gift of having him as such an important role in your life and that he will be with you always. Nothing will ever take him away from you…
‘It’s been a tough time for a long time, but Mick has given them the resilience, strength and grace they will need to not only survive, but thrive in life.
“I have no doubt that you will prove to him that you have taken everything into account.”
Martine and Jack’s shock split comes just weeks after she paid tribute to Jack on his birthday and revealed she was mourning the death of his father (Jack’s dad pictured).
Sharing photos of Jack with their eight-year-old son Rafferty, Martine said she hoped in time her husband would be able to see how much he is loved.
‘I think you show your children how to ‘live life’ not so much by what you say but by what you actually do and act through the good, the bad and everything in between and I know Rafferty is a source of strength and comfort to you and he is so excited for you to be his guide and create magical memories together.’
She told her husband that everything is going “step by step, honey. You know I love you unconditionally and I just wish I could make it better.”
Reflecting on Jack’s career as a singer and songwriter, she ended the post by gushing, “You’re only 40 and you’ve already achieved so many dreams. But most importantly, now YOU have the love to pass on to your greatest accomplishment and gift in life, our baby boy.”
“I hope you feel the love surrounding you today and know that no matter what, the most wonderful and rewarding next chapter awaits you! Now, take a deep breath, let’s have some fun with our boy!”
Martine and Jack renewed their vows in 2022 and two months later admitted that they “don’t have the perfect relationship by any means” but that she “relies” on him when “life gets complicated.”
She told The Sun of their relationship: ‘Both Jack and I have always been honest, we don’t have the perfect relationship by any means.
“We’ve had our ups and downs, like everyone else. We’ve had our challenges, but I think ultimately we’re each other’s best friends.
“When life gets complicated and not always so fabulous, it’s nice to be able to have someone to talk to, to trust and be yourself with, and know that it’s a safe space and that they’ll have your back.”
Martine’s pain for her brother
The actress lost her brother LJ, who had a mild form of special needs, at the age of 31 in 2022.
In October of that year, she told her fans to “hug each other really tight” in a thoughtful post.
“A Saturday of blue skies and sunshine. May everyone have a wonderful weekend. Hug each other tight and make memories,” she wrote at the time.
She said the website designer was due to marry his fiancée Jay Eaton, 49, in a month and Martine, who was due to be a bridesmaid, had seen her brother just days before he died.
Martine shared a couple of photos of LJ earlier and wrote: ‘My heart is forever broken. My little brother, my gentle giant, sadly passed away, suddenly, 2 weeks ago. He was 31.
The actress lost her brother LJ, who had a mild form of special needs, at the age of 31 in 2022.
‘There is no medical explanation for why we lost him so early and while we investigate further we have to accept that nothing will bring our boy back to us.
‘LJ (Laurence John) was born when I was 15 and from the moment I first held him in my arms, I was so proud and fiercely protective of him. He was quite a character!
‘He made us all laugh and there was nothing he loved more than making a plan, having a great playlist, getting people together and generally having a good time.’
After the heartbroken star thanked her followers for their outpouring of love and said her beloved brother would want her to “move on.”
And in a heartfelt video she spoke directly to the camera as she opened up about her devastating loss.
She said: Hello everyone, I hope you are well. This is my first time on Instagram since I shared my post about the loss of my brother a couple weeks ago.
‘First of all, thank you very much for the displays of affection; they mean a lot to my family.’
‘Today was my first day back at work, I didn’t know if I could do it or not, I was nervous, a bit of filming and a meeting and I’m so glad I did it.
Martine rose to fame playing Tiffany in EastEnders (pictured with Ross Kemp as Grant)
In 2002, she captured hearts when she played the unassuming love interest of Hugh Grant’s Prime Minister in Love Actually.
She continued: ‘I know my brother would want me to keep going and he was very proud of me and the fact that I liked to inspire people and make them feel good and give them a little bit of magic where I could.’
“I felt it with me and I got it done on the first day back. I got it done.”
Along with the emotional clip he wrote: ‘Thank you for your support. I’m going to get back into it slowly. I know LJ would want me to keep doing it.
“I was proud of myself and understood why I do what I do. Grief is a strange thing and there’s no one way to deal with it, but I felt good about having put in the work. I was nervous, but I did it.”
