A look back at Amy Nuttall's rocky romances in her own words
‘I would NEVER try it on with someone else’s boyfriend’: A look back at Amy Nuttall’s rocky romances in her own words – as unlucky-in-love star’s husband Andrew Buchan ‘walks out’ to pursue relationship with co-star
Downton Abbey star Amy Nuttall has reportedly been left heartbroken after husband Andrew Buchan ‘walked out’ on her and moved in with new co-star Leila Farzad.
It’s the latest blow to befell the 40-year-old actress, who has had a rocky romantic past with her romances.
She was famously cheated on by her Emmerdale co-star Ben Freeman in 2005, who she had described as the ‘first real love of my life.’
The pair had played on/off lovers in the ITV soap and their will they/won’t they storyline ultimately seeped into their real lives as they struck up a romance, dating for four years.
However, much like the tumultuous storylines they played out on screen, their romance ended in tragedy when Ben was rumoured to have cheated on her.
A look back at Amy Nuttall’s rocky romances: Amy was famously cheated on by her Emmerdale co-star Ben Freeman in 2005 (pictured in 2004)
Tragedy: Downton Abbey star Amy was reportedly left heartbroken after husband Andrew Buchan ‘walked out’ on her and moved in with his new co-star (pictured in 2014)
She was aware of the female attention her boyfriend would attract on a night out but had convinced herself he wouldn’t stray.
In an ill-fated interview, she told The Mirror in 2003: ‘Girls seem to have no inhibitions at all, especially after a few drinks. It’s obvious that we are out as a couple, but it doesn’t stop them trying to clamber all over him.
‘Ben’s brilliant. He’s very polite, but he always puts his arm around me to make it clear that he is there with me.’
Making her stance on infidelity very clear, she continued: ‘The girls don’t make me jealous because I’m very secure in my relationship with Ben, but I do think it’s rude.
‘I would never dream of going up to someone else’s boyfriend and trying it on.’
Despite being a lads’ mag favourite in the Noughties, Amy insisted that she had no male attention in real life, stating: ‘I’ve never been chatted up since arriving on Emmerdale.
‘Even when I’m not with Ben, I get the odd look of recognition but no one comes up to talk to me. Maybe they know I’m spoken for, or they feel intimidated because I’m on TV. Men like to play it cool and I suppose they don’t want a knock-back.’
Yet by her own admission she wasn’t good at picking up signs from men, confessing that she had no idea that Ben was into her and that he did ‘all the chasing.’
Co-stars: Andrew is understood to have left the family home and moved in with Leila Farzad after meeting the glamorous actress while working on BBC series Better (pictured on show)
Despite her one rule being ‘not to mix work with pleasure’, she found herself falling head over heels for Ben and the couple ended up moving in together.
Even after they split and a woman came forward with a kiss and tell story about Ben, Amy insisted that she still had a lot of love for her partner.
Speaking shortly after their split in 2005, she said: ‘Ben and I are still good mates and we’ll always remain close.
‘He was the first real love of my life, and we’re still very good friends with each other’s families, so there’s no bad feeling there at all.’
Three years after their split, Ben faced trial for raping a 16-year-old girl in Barbados. He was later acquitted.
He said he had been devastated by the allegation and that, since the incident in November 2006, he had been ‘released’ from his contract with Emmerdale.
Two years after the trial got engaged to Hollyoaks actress Jennifer Biddall on the set of Dreamcoats and Petticoats.
Yet in 2013 he was accused of infidelity again after he was pictured openly kissing and hugging his West End co-star Gina Beck.
Former flame: Despite her one rule being ‘not to mix work with pleasure’, she found herself falling head over heels for Emmerdale co-star Ben and the couple dated for four years (pictured on the show)
Loved-up: Amy was aware of the female attention her boyfriend would attract on a night out but had convinced herself he wouldn’t stray (pictured in 2004)
Despite claiming to have had no attention from men, Amy was linked to a number of high profile male suitors.
She was seen out with the likes of Manchester United’s Alan Smith and Everton’s James Beattie, T4 presenter Steve Jones, reality star Calum Best and the late X Factor star Darius Campbell.
Yet she denied being romantically involved with any of them, stating: ‘I can’t seem to go out and even talk to a guy without it getting in the papers that he’s my new boyfriend.
‘It makes it hard to date anyone because with all the attention I can’t even work out whether I like somebody or not. It really puts pressure on, and most times I think it’s not worth the hassle.
‘But it’s not like I get much attention anyway. It’s always nice to be chatted up by a gorgeous guy, but the only ones I ever get are the drunk ones at the end of the night who come over and talk rubbish at me.’
Despite not being approached in real life, Amy was considered a sex symbol by many men due to her racy lads’ mag spreads.
She later confessed that she regretted posing for the racy shoots, telling People newspaper: ‘I was kind of told that if you do this you will get bigger and better storylines.
‘They said that the more attention you got, the bigger the character would grow, therefore there would be more to do.
‘And so I kind of thought, “Oh well…in that case”. I wouldn’t say there was pressure to do it but I certainly was young and naïve because I was just 18 when I started in Emmerdale.
‘My dad says, “Look, don’t regret it. What’s done is done.” And so many girls have done it.’
She continued: ‘I went on GMTV to plug my storyline and all they wanted talk about was a lad’s mag that I was in. I thought, “Hang on a minute, there is more to me than that”.’
Romantic entanglements: Amy was linked to a number of high profile male suitors including reality star Calum Best (left) and the late X Factor star Darius Campbell
It seemed Amy had found her happy ending when she met Broadchurch actor Andrew in 2007, with the couple tying the knot in 2012 and welcoming a son three years later.
The actor, 44, best known for his role as Mark Latimer in the hugely popular ITV series, is said to have ‘walked out’ on Amy after developing a new relationship with his co-star on a brand new drama.
He has reportedly moved in with Leila Farzad, 39, after meeting the glamorous actress while working on BBC series Better, The Sun reports.
The reports come just weeks after Leila shared a gushing Instagram post paying tribute to Andrew for ‘holding her up and wiping away her tears,’ alongside a snap of them filming the drama.
A source told the outlet: ‘It was a huge shock. Amy is heartbroken.’
Andrew is said to have told Amy their marriage was over before Christmas, leaving the actress devastated and their friends in a state of shock.
The source added: ‘For Andrew to walk away from his family was a huge shock to us all – and Amy is heartbroken. Everyone who knows them thought they were going to be together forever.
‘But he’s packed his bags and left with his new co-star. Whatever has gone on, it seems to have been enough for him to re-evaluate his whole life and rip up their marriage.
‘Nobody is quite sure of the exact details, but Andrew has clearly had his head turned pretty dramatically.’
Stunning: Despite not being approached in real life, Amy was considered a sex symbol by many men due to her racy lads’ mag spreads (pictured in 2007)
In a telling Instagram post, shared shortly after Valentine’s Day, Amy alluded to the split as she penned: ‘I am not impressed by money, social status or job title. I’m impressed by the way someone treats other human beings.’
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Leila took to social media to share a gushing tribute to Andrew in a montage featuring the entire Better cast and crew.
Her caption read: ‘This lot. Couldn’t and wouldn’t happen without them.
‘Big up the Better team who wiped my tears, held me up, fed me crumpets and made me smile.
‘Don’t have pics of everyone but this gang got me through! We made a show, it’s NOT a Happy Valley replacement but a morality tale which should make you think.’
Andrew plays a well-connected criminal alongside Leila’s corrupt police officer in new crime drama Better, which launched on BBC One in February.
The London born, Oxford-educated Leila has previously taken roles in Law & Order: UK, Man Down, This Time With Alan Partridge and I Hate Suzie – a part that earned her a BAFTA TV nomination.
New romance? Andrew is said to have told Amy their marriage was over before Christmas and has moved in with Leila after working together on their new series (pictured on the show)
What’s going on? Last week, Amy appeared to allude to the split, as she took to Instagram to share a cryptic message just a day after Valentine’s Day
Fellow actress Amy found fame after joining ITV soap Emmerdale in 2000 at the age of 18; she played Chloe Atkinson for eight years before leaving the show to pursue a music career.
More recently she played Ethel Parks in BBC period drama Downton Abbey.
Ironically, the character loses her job at the sprawling Downton estate after having a torrid affair with a serving officer.
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