It’s been nearly 20 years since she began a five-week fling with Neil Morrissey in 2000, while she was married to comedian Les Dennis.
Yet Amanda Holden has opened up about how being selected as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent saved her from her past reputation as a ‘cheating wife’.
The presenter, 48, who is now happily married to Chris Hughes, revealed she felt public perception of her changed for the better after Simon Cowell made her a part of the popular ITV talent show in 2007.
Honest: Amanda Holden has opened up about how being selected as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent saved her from her past reputation as a ‘cheating wife’
According to The Mirror, Amanda thanks Simon for changing her reputation from ‘cheating wife’ and encouraging viewers to see past her previous affair drama.
She told the publication: ‘Starting out on Britain’s Got Talent was liberating for me.
‘I mean, without dragging up my past, I think, at the time I was with Chris, we’d been together for something like five years but people still kept going on about Les and Neil, and all the other stuff.’
She added: ‘What was really nice was that anyone that might’ve had a preconceived idea of me could see who I really was and then really make their mind up.’
Reputation: The presenter, 48, revealed she felt public perception of her changed for the better after Simon Cowell made her a part of the popular ITV talent show in 2007 (pictured with ex-husband Les Dennis in 2002)
In the past: It’s been nearly 20 years since she began a five-week fling with Neil Morrissey in 2000, while she was married to comedian Les Dennis (pictured with Neil in 2003)
Amanda went on to reveal that she felt ‘people didn’t like her’ and branded her a ‘cheating wife’ after news of her fling with actor Neil Morrissey went public during her seven-year marriage to Les Dennis.
Amanda and Dennis split when news of the affair emerged. Although they were briefly reconciled, they separated in 2002 and were divorced the following year.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge has previously spoken out about the affair that destroyed her marriage to the Family Fortunes host and launched her career.
Affair: Amanda revealed she felt ‘people didn’t like her’ and branded her a ‘cheating wife’ after news of her fling with Neil Morrissey (pictured in 2018) went public during her seven-year marriage to Les Dennis
It was tying the knot with comedian Les Dennis that catapulted her into the public eye but after the love affair with the Men Behaving Badly actor, she was famous in her own right.
She’s referred to their brief dalliance as about love and affection, not just sex, despite Neil calling it a brief fling in recent years.
Since her star ascended, Amanda has been a television starlet, recently completing her 13th year on Britain’s Got Talent.
Way back when: Amanda and Dennis split when news of the affair emerged. Although they were briefly reconciled, they separated in 2002 and were divorced the following year (pictured with her ex-husband Les in 2000)
Amanda met Dennis when she was just 22 and he 38. They were together for four years before marrying in June 1995.
She said that following her affair with Morrissey, which began while filming the BBC drama Happy Birthday Shakespeare, she was ‘thrown together’ with him again when she moved out of the home she shared with Dennis.
The actress went on to marry record producer Chris Hughes in December 2008 and they have two children together – Alexa, 13, and Hollie, seven.
Family life: The actress went on to marry record producer Chris Hughes in December 2008 and they have two children together – Alexa, 13, and Hollie, seven
Amanda’s honesty about being branded a ‘cheating wife’ comes after she was crowned Rear Of The Year after seeing off competition from Carol Vorderman and Holly Willoughby for the title.
The radio host was awarded the honour for her ‘proportionate and understated rear’ after receiving 12,000 online votes to bag the win.
Amanda is following in the footsteps of stunning actress Michelle Keegan, who was hailed as Rear Of The Year in 2018 by the voting public.
Award: Amanda’s honesty about being branded a ‘cheating wife’ comes after she was crowned Rear Of The Year after seeing off competition from Carol Vorderman and Holly Willoughby
The Britain’s Got Talent judges are currently preparing for Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions, which will see show favourites like English tenor Paul Potts and street dancer George Sampson return to the stage.
Ashleigh Butler also returns for the first time since the death of her beloved dog Pudsey, with whom she won the show in 2012, and returns with new dog Sully.
However there is no place for Susan Boyle, who originally signed up for the show before pulling out at the 11th hour due to a scheduling clash.
Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions will run for six weeks from August 31.
Show’s return: The BGT judges are currently preparing for Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions, which will see show favourites like Paul Potts and George Sampson return to the stage
