Former EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon has sadly experienced her fair share of heartbreaks – from her devastating baby losses to the tragic death of her brother
Just a month before her marriage broke down, Martine McCutcheon candidly opened up about the heartbreaking loss of her brother.
The former EastEnders star, 48, announced on social media yesterday that she had split from her husband, singer-songwriter Jack McManus, after he made the decision to end their marriage. The couple tied the knot in Italy’s Lake Como in 2012 and welcomed their son Rafferty in 2015.
In her emotional post, the actress said: “After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it’s best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision.” She added that their love for Rafferty will “never waver” and sent Jack “all the love, luck and happiness” for the future.
It came just weeks after Martine candidly shared more heartwrenching details about the sad death of her younger sibling. She revealed that her brother, Laurence John – known as LJ – died “suddenly” aged just 31 back in 2022. She said there was “no medical explanation” for his death and he passed away around a month before he was due to get married.
Martine still struggles with the devastating loss and took to Instagram in July to write down her feelings. She said: “I miss you my baby bro so very, very much. You were always so honest and unapologetically proud of me. I didn’t realise until you were gone just how much you boosted me. I adored you.
“Just that twinkle in your eye when I walked in meant so much to me. I was your moral compass and I loved you showing you the way. You loved me all your life and vice versa. We could have a blazing row and just knew we would always be alright. My gentle giant, I miss you knowing and loving all of me. I was so protective of me but we know what we had.
“We had a bond and love that no-one really knew but us. I miss our phone calls, putting the world right. Sometimes pissing each other off but mostly lifting each other and chattig about stuff no-one else really understood. Thank you for being you. We all still miss you like mad, wuv woo Dimples.”
Announcing LJ’s death two years ago, Martine described her brother as a “gentle giant” who had a “huge heart”. She said: “Grief isn’t pretty. It hurts like hell and makes you question so many things you felt certain of. Just getting up to do normal things can be so tough. Some days I manage, some days I don’t.”
Years before she lost her brother, Martine opened up about her struggles with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) – also known as chronic fatigue syndrome – which impacts a person’s physical ability and quality of life.
During a 2017 appearance on Loose Women, Martine spoke about how the syndrome impacted her fertility and ability to carry babies. She said: “I didn’t have problems getting pregnant, I had problems keeping them. And because of the ME I just wasn’t strong enough. I had lost babies and it was horrific every time.”
In a 2018 interview with The Telegraph, Martine opened up about the toll her miscarriages took on both her and Jack, with her issues sending her into a ‘downward spiral’. She recalled: “We’d always said that, if we were fortunate to be blessed with a child, that would be wonderful, but we were very aware that it’s not a given.
“As a woman in her late 30s at the time, and one who’d experienced health problems, I thought I might have to accept that it wasn’t a path my life was going to take. But it would have been a great sadness in our lives if that had been the case.” After the couple welcomed Rafferty, the actress described being a mother as “the missing piece of the jigsaw”.
As well as chronic ME, Martine also has Lyme disease, fibromyalgia and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Last November, she shared: “So many of you ask me what helps me with my conditions. For any of you that find it hard to focus or have ADD like me, or ADHD or depression, peri meno or anxiety etc… these little but potent 10-minute meditations are b****y wonderful!”
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at the Miscarriage Association. You can call them on 01924 200799 or email [email protected]