Paul Hollywood and his estranged wife Alexandra were granted a decree nisi at the Central Family Court in London on Friday morning. District Judge Robert Duddridge granted the 'quickie divorce' in a ten-second hearing; neither Paul, 53, nor Alexandra, 55, were present. The decree nisi is the first step towards legally ending a marriage. A divorce petitioner then has to wait six weeks and one day after the decree nisi is granted to apply for a decree absolute – the final dissolution of the marriage.
A week-long trial was originally scheduled for 22 July to resolve the couple's financial matters, however it was confirmed that the trial would no longer go ahead.
© Photo: RexThe couple were married for 19 years
Paul and Alexandra, who was diagnosed with skin cancer last month, were married for 19 years. The couple, who share a teenage son Josh, briefly split in 2013 after the Bake Off judge's affair with his American Baking Competition co-star, Marcela Valladolid, came to light. Alexandra received a £1.4million payout but the couple later reconciled, with Paul calling his affair "the biggest mistake" of his life.
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They split for a second time in November 2017, releasing a joint statement that read: "It is with sadness that we have decided to separate. Our focus continues to be the happiness of our son… we ask the press and public to allow us privacy during this very difficult time." Speaking about her decision, the mother-of-one confessed: "I stand by that decision. I believed in my marriage, I wanted to make it work."
© Photo: Rex"I don't feel angry with Paul," Alexandra has reflected
Last month, Alexandra spoke to The Sunday Telegraph and opened up about their marriage. "When you get married and have children, it's easy to lose yourself," she said. "I'm not complaining because I was happy, but then someone else rips everything up and it wakes you up to who you are and what you have become and what sacrifices you've made."
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Speaking to Prima magazine earlier this year, Alexandra also said of her ex Paul, who has moved on with girlfriend Summer Monteys-Fullam, who is 29 years his junior: "I don't feel angry with Paul, though of course there's a certain amount of hurt. Anger is emotive and I'm not carrying that around with me. All it does is upset you."
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