Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Tarrant and wife split

Television quiz show host Chris Tarrant has announced that he and his wife Ingrid are to split. The presenter of ITV1 quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? was ultimately given the final answer to the question of whether his marriage would survive tabloid revelations about his private life, admitting in a statement that he had only himself to blame for the collapse of his relationship. In a statement, Tarrant, 59, appealed to the media for privacy in the wake of his separation from wife Ingrid, 51, following newspaper claims that the TV presenter had been having an affair. "I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused to my loyal wife and wonderful children, all of whom I adore," said Tarrant. "I have only myself to blame for the breakdown of my marriage." "While the liaison which has led to all of this was not significant in my life, I will always regret the hurt and pain that I have caused to those whom I love," he added. "I now appeal to the media to leave us all alone to allow us to deal in private with what are intensely personal and private matters." The breakdown between Tarrant and his wife follows a series of advertisements made by the couple which joked about the TV presenter forgetting their anniversary and being forced to sleep on the sofa as a result.