The Chase star Mark Labbett splits from wife Katie after open marriage fails

The Chase

Mark Labbett and his wife Katie have announced the end of their seven-year marriage.

The Chase star revealed on Saturday that the couple have decided to go their separate ways after failing to have an open marriage.

Mark and Katie, who share a son, three, split briefly last year and she started dating senior design engineer Scott Bate. But Mark claimed her relationship with Scott is not to blame for their separation.

The Chase

Instead, the TV quizzer admitted their 27-year age gap and life in lockdown proved the couple were better off apart.

The 55-year-old said, 'There was never any deceit on Katie’s part but it’s got to the point now where I realise it is better for us to go our separate ways and remain friendly.'

Katie, 28, added, 'I just want everyone to know what’s what and that we are all happy.'

Speaking about their open marriage, Mark told The Sun on Sunday, 'When Katie first came clean to me about her boyfriend, I’d had an inkling.

MORE: The Chase star Mark Labbett reveals suspected coronavirus battle behind five-stone weight loss

'But right from the start, my attitude was quite pragmatic — this was spilt milk, what could we do about the situation to make it OK?

The Chase

'We had a family. We couldn’t just throw that away lightly. There were other considerations.

'But Covid provided the perfect storm. My mental health suffered and the differences in our ages became magnified.

'With Katie seeing Scott after lockdown, it’s got to the point where I realise it’s better for us to go our separate ways and remain friendly, without the stress factor of living together.'

Three years after the pair tied the knot back in 2014, they discovered that they are in fact blood related.

The couple found out back in 2017 that they are actually second cousins, as their respective fathers are first cousins – a fact that they had not realised before marrying.

'It wasn’t something we were aware of at the time,' Mark previously said on ITV’s Loose Women. 'It was one of those things that happened.'

Freelance Writer

A Freelance Writer and Content Editor, Jenni has been working on the women's lifestyle team at TI-Media on and off for over three years. She writes about your favourite celebrities and TV shows so you never miss an update. Jenni also writes beauty news and features - so for all of your skincare and make-up needs, drop her a line.