Amanda Abbington and Martin Freeman have spoken about each other in the years since the former couple, who have two children together, announced their separation in 2016
Former couple Amanda Abbington and Martin Freeman were together for over a decade prior to their separation. The actors, who have two children together, have spoken about their relationship on occasion since parting ways.
Amanda and Martin, both now 53, were together from 2000 to 2016, after having met whilst working on the film Men Only, released in 2001. The pair – who have worked together over the years, like on the BBC’s Sherlock – are understood to now co-parent their two children Joe, 18, and Grace, 16.
Their relationship has attracted attention in recent years and there’s been renewed interest in the days since Martin and his current partner Rachel Benaissa, 30, attended the Olivier Awards together last week. The Mirror has now taken a look back at some of the comments Martin and Amanda have made about their relationship over the years. The former couple have both shared that they have remained on good terms since separating and Martin has said that he “will always love Amanda”.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Amanda suggested in 2016 that spending time apart amid Martin’s work on projects like the Hobbit film series contributed to the end of their romance. She said the time apart was “one of the reasons”.
She however told the outlet at the time that they remained “best friends” and “love each other,” adding that the split was “entirely amicable”. Amanda said: “There was no hostility, really, we just said that we couldn’t live together anymore, so we put everything in place, he moved out to a flat in north London, I stayed at home and we’ve started a new chapter.”
Amanda continued: “It is sad and it is upsetting, because you think you’re going to be with someone forever, but you either do that or you break up, and we both came to the decision that splitting was best for us. We’ve been really lucky to make it such a clean break, especially for the kids.”
In an article also published in December that year, Martin told the Financial Times himself that the break-up was “very amicable”. He said at the time: “I’m not with Amanda any more. It’s very, very amicable – I’ll always love Amanda.”
The following year, he told the Radio Times that they separated “a while ago” and weren’t together when they filmed the fourth series of Sherlock in 2016. Martin said in that interview: “We’re very friendly and it’s all lovely and cool.”
He added: “I mean, we’re honest to God [separating] in about as civilised a manner as I’ve ever heard of, you know.” He went on to praise his ex-partner Amanda as a “brilliant” actor and person, before saying: “I will always love Amanda.”
More recently, Amanda has spoken about remaining on good terms with her ex-partner. Last year, she teased that Martin would be a guest at her wedding to her fiancéJonathan Goodwin, 45, whom she’s been engaged to since 2021.
When asked if Martin will attend the wedding, the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant told Closer magazine: “I would imagine so. We’re still mates, we’re still good friends. It’s important to maintain a good, healthy relationship with your ex if you have children, I think.”
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