I sometimes get confused with which British actors are dating each other. For a while, I thought Richard Madden was dating Lily James, but no, I got that wrong. I don’t think Lily and Richard ever dated, they just costarred in Cinderella together. Lily James has been with Matt Smith for years. And Richard Madden was quietly dating… Ellie Bamber? How did I not know that before now? Madden is 32 years old (I also thought he was older) and Ellie Bamber is 21 (I thought she was younger). They started dating in the summer of 2017. Before that, he dated Suki Waterhouse, who seems to have dated a lot of different kinds of guys (Bradley Cooper, James Marsden, Diego Luna and currently Robert Pattinson). Do you see how confusing it is?? Anyway, Richard and Ellie were together for about a year and a half. Madden has gotten tons of heat over the past few months because of Bodyguard and his Golden Globe win. Apparently, Ellie’s not into it. She dumped him.
‘Bodyguard’ hunk Richard Madden has split with actress lover Ellie Bamber, the Sun on Sunday can reveal. The Scottish actor, 32, was dumped last month amid fears their lifestyles had become “worlds apart”. Les Miserables star Ellie, 21, was absent when heart-throb Richard won a Golden Globe in LA last weekend.
Last night a source close to him said: “They’re both absolutely gutted but it was a decision made for the best. They were arguing almost daily towards the end and, despite considering couples’ therapy, it became evident there were far too many issues that could not be fixed. Richard is the toast of Hollywood at the moment, and understandably wants to let his hair down. Ellie is a bit quieter, and wants to focus purely on her work. It felt like their day-to-day lives were increasingly becoming worlds apart. They were pretty inseparable from the day they met — and their friends and family had all merged — so obviously everyone around them is gutted too. But both Ellie and Richard hope to remain friends.”
Well, she’s 21 years old and beautiful – clearly, she believes she can do better. She probably can. She’ll probably end up dating some other British actor and it will continue to be very confusing for me. As for Richard… well, he’s single, ladies. AND he’s a grumpy, handsome Scotsman. And his star is rising because of Bodyguard. My guess is that he won’t go full Hollywood and start dating, like, Angelina Jolie. But I’m very interested in seeing who he dates next.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid.
I can totally see him dating Angelina Jolie. That will be gossip gold.
He doesn’t need her drama.
He’s so handsome. Not too pretty at all. Just right.
Wouldn’t trade Madden either… He looks amazing, and his voice… Perfectly ruggedly handsome.
I remember watching GoT and thinking, “he’s alright.” 15 minutes into the Bodyguard I’m all, “oh snap, when did that happen?” He’s gone from alright to a bit of alright.
I binged the show in two days and was so sad that I couldn’t stare at him more. I might have a problem (aside from not having enough Xanax to get through all six episodes).
Had the same experience (fans self)!
Is that his natural hair, the one he wore to the Globes, or did he dyed it for the Globes? Looks really nice on him thought a bit unusual given his hair in Bodyguard. Anyway, I like it. Just like his accent.
That’s his natural hair.
I don’t know who either of these people are. Dude in the header photo looks like Jason Priestley, therefore I clicked. This Richard Madden character should hit up Candy Spelling so we can get a new TV show featuring Brandon Walsh look-a-likes. I’d watch the hell out of a show like that.
That’s Robb Stark!
Must not be a GOT fan
OMG it is! I feel a smidge silly not knowing that till now but he is rocking the classic Brandon Walsh hair so all I’m getting is visions of Jason Priestley. I still support him taking a meeting with Candy, but get that ish on HBO. BH90210 had almost everything but was lacking on showing me Brando’s liberal butt. Robb Stark can fill the butt quota for the remake.
I’m actually not buying this narrative? I mean good for her if it’s true but… really? A young starlet dropping her red hot boyfriend right when he is about to need some arm-candy for some very prestigious awards shows?
Me thinks Richard might be the one suddenly wanting to play the field and needing to be a free agent for that.
He probably cheated on her.
Yeah, it’s nice to know there are some authentic, self-respecting young women in the movie business, right? Sometimes people break up and there’s no story there. It just ran its course.
Most likely he already acted single, and then she “dumped” him. Objectively, I doubt “she can do better” simply because she is young and moderately cute.
there are MANY young starlets. Much more than handsome and supersuccesfull single actors.
Drag the woman down, why don’t you? In all honesty she can do better than a 32 year old man who started dating her when she was 19. She figured it was skeevesville and Godspeed her on her journey to other less creeptastic pastures. She can do much, much better.
actually, its not me, but the article above started this cynical line of thinking “who can do better than who”. As to yous statement, how do you define “better”? I mean, can she land someone who would love her more than Madden and be a better partner? Surely yes. Can she land someone on the same success/ charizma level as Madden, or “better”, as you say? Hmmm who knows, but I doubt.
Does that mean I drag her down? Im sure she will be fine and doesnt need my opinion))))))))))
Im just making a guess on the gossip site!;)
He did date Lily James while filming Cinderella and for a little afterwards. She then moved on with Matt Smith.
oooh, thank you for that! I thought I was hallucinating because I really did remember them dating.
No, I don’t think they ever dated. As far as I know he had been with Jenna Coleman for years by the time he did Cinderella (ANOTHER young British actress!) who was also costars with Matt Smith on Doctor Who (who Lily was dating by that time. At least, they were dating by the time the premieres of Cinderella came around). They were all great friends, and Lily and Richard went on to work together again, starring in Kenneth Branagh’s stage adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. But as far as I know, their relationship was never anything but platonic.
Did they? I thought he was dating Jenna Coleman for ages and they split up just before (or because of?) the polo flirting session with Prince Harry. I know the chemistry between him & Lily James was talked about during the promo work for Cinderella.
I loved him in Cinderella & GOT but I can’t see him as James Bond. In a lot of the Bodyguard stills he looks sort of pouty, like a sulky schoolboy. He was good as Romeo though.
Love him.
Lily & Richard were just costars, she was dating Matt and he was dating Jenna
He s soo good în The bodyguard, i just saw IT. He s handsome, like sexy grumpy, God, i would have not dunped him…
Yes he is excellent in Bodyguard. He and Keely Smith? I think that ‘s her name, the actress who starred with him,had some hot scenes!
He is so magnetic.
We’re busy watching Line of Duty, the show runner of The Bodyguard’s other series. Keeley Hawes is amazing in a couple of the seasons.
Loved Keeley Hawes in Ashes to Ashes but especially Upstairs, Downstairs, as Lady Agnes with Clair Foy, who played an unforgettable turn as her sister, the reprehensible Lady Percy!
Fun Fact: Keeley is married to a Matthew of the MacFadyen variety.
I love Scottish accents, and I’m of Scottish descent myself, but this guy registers absolutely nothing with me. I don’t even feel inclined to try that Netflix show he’s on. *shrugs*
That’s why he is so good in Bodyguard. He is the opposite of his image or pics. He did nothing for me in GOT but in Bodyguard he is so freaking sexy and crazed.
LOL, I might check it out then!!!
Just give it a shot. He was almost unrecognizable to me and I had to do an IMDB check to make sure I wasn’t going crazy.
I don’t look at his pictures and think “he’s so hot.” But he’s hot when he’s playing a bodyguard on the show.
I love a Scot but he also did nothing for me in GOT or Bodyguard (though the show was good) my friend told me to watch him in Ibiza on Netflix but I seriously watched 15 min and stopped so…
Soooooo, is no one going to mention that she was a teenager and he was in his 30s when they started dating? Or do we only do that when the guy isn’t a heartthrob?
Ikr? It’s creepy. He’s good-looking but also looks like he could be her dad in some photos of them together.
They started dating in the summer of 2017 (or when the first reports emerged) and she was 20 at that point. The way the statement is reported, there is some subtle shading at him which makes me think it comes from someone affiliated with her-either she did not care for the female attention he was receiving due to Bodyguard or he did indulge in some of that attention and she was done.
He was excellent in Bodyguard. I hope he gets bigger and better roles after this.
I know she is dating Dominic Cooper, but I think he and Gemma Chan would make a terrific couple (their pics from the Golden Globes are adorable).
No, nobody will side eye this because he’s the ‘I’d hit it ‘ guy of the moment, therefore the ready to type ‘OMG a 30 something guy dating a 19 or 20 girl is never OK, think of the imbalance, what do they talk about etc…’ won’t of course apply to him.
The pearl clutching is only for men who don’t exactly make female audience weak in the loins or drool on their keyboard.
Personnally, I fail to see what differences that from Cavill and his student.
I think about this a lot because in NYC I’m around a lot of relationships with similar or larger age differences. Personally, I think with two actors the “different stages of life” thing is less tangible than two normal people where one is established with a career and the other is in or just out of college.
20 is an adult. I don’t get the problem?
People 20′ date someone 30, it’s not unusual.
When I was 21 I dated guys 28,29,30,33 ,it wasn’t unusual for me or my friends, I lived in NYC. The pool of single guys for us was 20’s 30’s and that’s who asked us out. Not a big deal to me.
Agree, 90’SGIRL. I preferred guys in their late 20s when I was in my early 20s. They were a bit more pleasant to date than guys my age or a year or two older.
@tomato and 90’s girl
I’m actually on your side here and just played devil advocate, since I don’t remember reading such comprehensive comments on the Gyllenhaal thread.
Where were all the “but 22 is an adult” or “maybe she just prefers men in their 30s” comments? (suddenly, 22 became ‘barely out of teenhood’)
I maintain there’s a different standard of reactions on these relationships , depending on the guy being high on the f”ck list of the female audience.
Looking forward to readding your supportive comments the next time a 30 yo male celeb makes it official with hos new 19-20 yo girlfriend.
My boyfriend is 11 years older than me and we started dating when I was 20. I think it completely depends on the mental state of the 20 year old. Some are much more mature and some are still in the party girl phase. I was a young professional when we got together and for the most part, the age difference wasn’t noticable like it would be if I were in college.
I would only be concerned if all of Richard’s friends were in their early 20s. That’s a bad look for someone in their 30s when they dont have any friends their own age and only hang around people who are a decade younger.
To semi quote the great Brad Williams from Happy Endings.
‘She look youuuunngggggg’
Underappreciated show! Love the reference 😀
“I’m 18, slut!”
Yeah, he’s single but lets be honest, we’re all too old for him apparently. And I’m still younger than him!
There are definitely rumors that he cheated on her. But I’d still hit that!
I would too, in an alternate universe. He’s gorgeous.
Now that I’m in my 30’s, I notice more guys trying to date women in the early 20’s and tbh, although it can make me insecure, I also kind of laugh my butt off at guys like this.
They are so naive and indoctrinated into the toxic male culture, they forget that young women in their early 20’s are just like men in their early 20’s–hardly ready to settle down with only one d**k for the rest of their lives.
Isn’t he one of the people being considered to be the new Bond?
I don’t know, I guess I am always a skeptic. To me this sounds like a contract that was up.
I actually hope that’s the case (that it was a contract, not a real relationship), because he definitely gets a side eye from me for starting a relationship with a teenager (or someone just out of her teens) when he was in his 30s.
*Lizzie pushes husband off cliff*
I’m available!
I volunteer as tribute!!!
Next! Just don’t tell my husband.
Not trying to disrespectful, but call me Richard Madden!
Who am I kidding, he will never call me 🙁
Well well well…. he is making himself available for me. Good work matey
She’s mildly cute. At least in these pics. At those ages, that is a huge age span. She probably just wants to have fun.
I’m out of it. I’ve heard of Bodyguard and even knew he was in it, but I hadn’t heard much about it. And the Golden Globes ceremony is still unwatched on my dvr. The older I get, the less fun the awards shows are. #Meh
I googled Ellie Bamber & got a close-up of her face. I’m disgusted now because she looks about 14 years old. I’ll give RM benefit of the doubt – maybe she was 14 in this particular pic…just everything about her. Even in the pic of them walking together hand-in-hand..well, she frankly looks pre-pubescent. I’m shaming HIM, not her.
Ehh.. She’s a fully grown woman. Is it because she is small chested? She’s like 5″5 at least. Not a child at all in any sense.