Years ago, I was shocked when Colin Firth and Livia Giuggioli’s marriage began to fall apart – they seemed so classy and dignified, but Livia had an affair and the whole thing blew up when her lover turned into a stalker and the guy went public. I’m bringing up Colin Firth because his image, like Hugh Bonneville’s image, benefited from being in a long-term marriage. Hugh has never been on the prowl or gotten caught up in some sleazy scandal. Granted, Bonneville was never a heartthrob like Firth, but still – both are British guys who seemed to adore their wives and both are regulars in costume dramas. So, sad news, Hugh’s marriage fell apart. He and his wife of 25 years have separated. This year, man. Everyone’s getting a divorce.
Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville has split from his wife of 25 years, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. Lucinda “Lulu” Williams, 55, had been by the actor’s side on film sets throughout his career. Hugh, 59, found global fame playing the Earl of Grantham in the popular ITV period drama.
Yesterday, a spokesperson for the actor said: “I can confirm that Hugh Bonneville and Lulu Williams have separated.”
Hugh was seen smiling at a star-studded marriage ceremony eight days ago — without his wedding ring. Hugh was a guest at the wedding of Downton Abbey co-star Michelle Dockery, 41, and Jasper Waller-Bridge — brother of Fleabag creator Phoebe — last Saturday. But unlike other cast members, Hugh did not bring his partner.
A source said: “It is clear that Lulu feels as if 20-odd years of marriage counts for nothing.”
Yesterday a spokesperson for Hugh confirmed the couple — who have been married for 25 years and share a family home in West Sussex — have separated.
A source said: “It’s a shame as locally they were known to be a very sociable couple. Hugh has been away from home filming a lot this year. He has lost a bit of weight this summer, he was looking trim, tanned and relaxed.”
Just five years ago, the couple marked their 20th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in Las Vegas’s Graceland chapel.
Oof, vow renewals are always tricky. How many couples have broken up after doing some big vow renewal? Because it feels like it happens every time. Anyway, Hugh always seemed happily married and settled, but I definitely clocked the fact that he’s lost weight and he seemed to be gearing up to reenter the dating market. While these sources seem to be putting the onus on Lulu, my guess is that they’ve been falling apart for more than a year, really. I wonder if there’s some bigger scandal lurking with this split.
Update: Holy crap, I really never heard about this incident. Looks like he’s been sleazy for a while, my bad. I really didn’t know.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Hugh Bonneville, Lulu Williams. Red carpet arrivals for the UK premiere of Viceroy’s House at the Curzon Mayfair.,Image: 506684178, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Bettina Strenske / Avalon
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- Hugh Bonneville at the ‘Downton Abbey’ World Premiere, London, UK,Image: 537125582, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Shaw / Avalon
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- Hugh Bonneville and wife Lulu Williams attends the World Premiere of ‘Downton Abbey’ at Cineworld Leicester Square, London, England, UK on Monday 9 September 2019. Picture by Justin Ng/LFI/Avalon.,Image: 537146263, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Hugh Bonneville attends the World Premiere of ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ at Cineworld, Leicester Square, London, England, UK on Monday 25 April, 2022.,Image: 686099213, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/Retna/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Hugh Bonneville attends the World Premiere of ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ at Cineworld, Leicester Square, London, England, UK on Monday 25 April, 2022.,Image: 686099222, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/Retna/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
So Sad, I loved him in abbey. Separating from longtime partner is very hard and I hope the split is amicable. No wonder most planets are in retrograde and messing up people’s life this year.
“ Hugh has never been on the prowl or gotten caught up in some sleazy scandal.”
Apropos of nothing, does anyone know if British super-injunctions expire?
Ha – you got there first!! Commented similar just behind you!
Right? Plus the story goes that the lady in question had no clue who (Hugh?) he was and he proceeded to name the various shows he was in so she would know who he was.
How did he even get a super injunction for this? Do they just hand those things out?
They are very expensive, you have to inform the press they cannot use the story too so if you read articles about people who have superinjunctions the press takes digs at them all the time. Around the time this story came out the press exaggeratedly called him such a family man the same way Marc Anthony called Brutus an honorable man.
Hugh is a bounder and a cad. And a scoundrel, to boot.
“Hugh has never been on the prowl or gotten caught up in some sleazy scandal”
Errr you might want to Google that!! Very famously (in the UK at least) got an injunction out to stop the press reporting on his particular predilection!
There has been whispers of him being a serial cheater, even more serious allegations.
We’ve all seen recently how British entertainment industry loves to protect their men.
Um. “It is clear that Lulu feels as if 20-odd years of marriage counts for nothing.” What? Funny how that could have been said to him as well…
Exactly. Who is rhe one who got a superinjunction to cover up his cheating with sex workers? NOT her. Rereading the article I bet they did a vow renewal and he said rhe cheating was over and then he appeared tanned and like he lost weight and she found out he was having yet another affair and she finally said “no more, I’m done.”
I came here to comment on that quote, even if you don’t know about the super injunction, jumping straight in with a nasty comment about his wife suggests attack as a form of defence.
Yeah, I thought that was a pretty crappy thing to say & it just illustrated how the old boy’s network works–for the old boys.
I remember the super injunction! It doesn’t cover American press. He has been into sex workers for years so I do always wonder why now. His wife deserves a lot of happiness and I hope she gets it. He seems smarmy.
“Hugh has never been on the prowl or gotten caught up in some sleazy scandal”
This is inaccurate, because he absolutely has. How do you not know about the super injunction?
There is dirt out there on him. Apparently had a fling with an someone on Abbey and then when he didn’t want to see her again, threw his status around to get her removed from the production. Bit of a sh*t by all accounts.
Who?!? WHO?!?
Not Maggie Smith. She would turn him down flat.
Sybil?!? 😳😳😳😳
As if Jessica Brown-FIndlay would ever sleep with Hugh Bonneville! She was only like 23 when she left the show. And I think she had a boyfriend pretty much the entire time she was on it, so no.
Downton was a huge production with a sprawling cast, a lot of whom came and went. It could have have been any one of a number of people.
Well, this article was a rollercoaster for me. Sad to hear a marriage ended. Happy to hear Michelle Dockery got married. And then surprised to find out Hugh’s a toad.
I need a cup of tea now!
THAT is the real story. She lost her love and was a widow shortly before filming that in Downton.
I’m so glad she found love again.
And apparently Hugh is human trash.
I’m so happy Michelle Dockery found love again! She lost her fiance to brain cancer I think some years ago (they never got married sadly) but she did say she always felt like a widow. She got married to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s brother! I’m glad to see she’s still close with “Papa” aka the Earl of Grantham even if he is messy in his love life.
Maybe the NDA has run its course?
Didn’t know anything about the superinjunction or any rumors, but side-eyed him when I heard he was a guest at that lunch in December with Camilla, Piers, and Jeremy Clarkson (as were Dame Judy, and apparently Dame Maggie as well). Yuck.
Yeah, one suspects he’s been angling hard for a better title.
“Hugh has never been on the prowl or gotten caught up in some sleazy scandal.”
Clearly you don’t remember this sleazy scandal https://observer.com/2016/05/beloved-british-family-man-burned-by-escorts-breach-of-contract/
I’m not sure if my appreciation and understanding of British humor is sorely lacking – but his harping on the sex worker proclaiming that she had some sort of sexual interaction (I do not understand the wording being used – it sounds like they Skyped with sex toys?!?) with this bloke seems to be the greater sin in his eyes. Ans he’s like pop down to the pup. But clubs are full of people who will run to the paps!
I read that & got the same understanding–the writer was criticizing the woman for speaking rather than the married man for hiring prostitutes. And it was news to me that sex workers were being presented with NDAs. That’s just weird.
The original story said he was like Prince William – pegging!
He’s a cheater and has probably hooked up with someone he wants as a permanent live-in. Thus the weight loss and looking trim. I hope his wife gets a big payoff.
He strikes me as a smug prick. And I actually kind of hated his character on Downton, who was just as smug and a moron to boot.
I hope Lulu gets a very nice settlement.
When a guy is working on his divorce body and loses a ton of weight what is the next logical step?
That Venus retrograde period we had this summer really helped break up a lot of relationships. Dang! I mean, it’s the 2nd guy named Hugh who was in a long marriage who has broken up with his wife in the last few weeks. LOL
He’s a good actor and yeah not surprised at this – although I didn’t know about his super injunction either but then again I don’t pay too much attention to him.
Don’t get why woman think he’s hot – he looks so much like Diana’s crazy stalker ex butler, Paul Burrell. He should totes play him in the movie.
I read a book a few years ago detailing how a lot of married men visit escorts/prostitutes. One story discussed how a wife of 25 years found out her husband was spending 20-25k per YEAR on escorts. I talked to a guy friend I was interested in at the time and he casually mentioned it is an easy $200 if he is looking for sex. I decided to not pursue anything romantically after that. He is a 44 year old bachelor. I now wonder how wide of a phenomenon this is and which friends of mine husband’s do these practices also.
I’m not surprised. A sex partner who will be anyone you want when you want is a hard addiction for many men to kick–married or not. Especially if said men are used to controlling and compartmentalizing life.
If Hugh Bonneville can get a super injunction about dalliances with sex workers, then I can only imagine the secrets they are hiding for William under his super injunction.
Honestly it’s not a democracy when something like a super injunction can even exist. Personal affairs are not state secrets.
UK CBers,
Is this the same singing Lulu who guested occasionally on AbFab? It looks like her to me, but perhaps not.
No, Lulu was/is a famous 1960s era singer from Scotland. ‘To Sir with Love’ was a big hit for her.
Camilla has bad marital juju.