Love, Regret, and Redemption: Amanda Holden Reflects on a Tumultuous Past
In a candid conversation with Alan Carr on their BBC series Amanda and Alan’s Greek Job, Amanda Holden opens up about one of the most challenging chapters of her life: her marriage to TV presenter Les Dennis. But here’s where it gets emotional—Holden admits she deeply regrets the pain she caused Dennis during their relationship, particularly after her highly publicized affair with Men Behaving Badly actor Neil Morrissey. This revelation, which dominated headlines in the early 2000s, led to the couple’s separation in 2002 and eventual divorce in 2003.
Holden, who was just 23 when she married the then-40-year-old Dennis in 1995, met Morrissey while working on the BBC show Happy Birthday Shakespeare. She has since described the aftermath of the affair as the darkest period of her life, telling The Mail, “I brought it on myself. Nothing will ever be as bad again. It was a very dark time. It got to the point where I felt I could hardly breathe.” And this is the part most people miss—despite the pain she caused, Holden credits Dennis with helping her through that difficult time, saying, “Ironically, the person I’d hurt the most in the world was the one who was there for me.”
Today, both Holden and Dennis have moved on. Holden has been married to Chris Hughes since 2008, and they share two daughters, Lexi (19) and Hollie (13). Dennis, meanwhile, married Claire Nicholson in 2009 and has two children with her. In 2023, Dennis revealed he holds no grudges toward his ex-wife, telling The Sunday Times, “We’re not in touch, but I am happy that she’s happy. All the hurt that has happened has been healed.”
But here’s where it gets controversial—while Holden acknowledges her mistakes and the pain they caused, she also reflects on how those experiences shaped her into the person she is today. “Life is too short to have regrets,” she says, adding, “As much as I regret hurting people or causing chaos, it shapes you to who you are in this moment.” Is it possible to grow from our mistakes without dwelling on regret? Or does true growth require a deeper reckoning with the past? Let’s discuss in the comments.
Elsewhere in the series, Alan Carr shares his own reflections on regret, particularly around not standing up for himself earlier in his career. “There are times I wish I’d said no, I wish I’d been a bit bolder and a bit stronger,” he admits. Carr, who divorced husband Paul Drayton in 2022 after a four-year marriage, also opens up about his desire to find love again, though he admits trust remains a challenge. “It’s just getting out there and trusting, isn’t it?” he muses.
On a lighter note, Carr reminisces about his wedding to Drayton, which was officiated by none other than Adele at her Los Angeles mansion. The singer, whom Carr befriended at the 2008 Brit Awards, took to Instagram to share the news, writing, “I married two of my best friends in January. You know me, any excuse to dress up.” Carr later described Adele as “the loveliest person going,” praising her for planning the entire day.
So, what do you think? Can we truly move past our mistakes, or do they leave an indelible mark? And how do we balance vulnerability with self-preservation in relationships? Share your thoughts below—let’s keep the conversation going!
