Fans were left shocked when news of Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne’s split broke after years of rumours of trouble for the pair.
The couple – who share daughters Ella and Mia – announced that their seven-year marriage was over, just two months after they’d publicly denied yet another round of speculation that they were breaking up. Reports that Dan Osborne has already moved out of their family home and had been seen without his wedding ring soon followed.
A joint statement released by the couple said, ‘Jacqueline and Dan are handling things privately, choosing to keep their lives and relationship out of the public eye. Their children remain their top priority, surrounded by love and care from both parents – something that will never change.’
Sources reveal that the EastEnders actress – who shared selfies of herself smiling with Ella, ten, and Mia, six, only a few days before the split was made official – was fed up with the ‘toxic cycle’ she’d been in with Dan, 33, her partner of 12 years.
‘This is definitely the final chapter for Jac and Dan. And it feels real now he’s out of the house,’ they say. ‘Splitting is the only way they can salvage anything good from their past, they want to save their friendship. She doesn’t deny that Dan loves her but they were in a constant toxic cycle. She doesn’t think it will ever change, she’s done with wasting energy on his bulls**t.
‘Dan also told pals he felt like he got 1,000 questions if he even looked at another woman. A relationship shouldn’t feel like living in a prison. He’s agreed that it’s toxic and that’s not good for the kids to be around.’
Jac and Dan’s relationship has been plagued by cheating allegations. They started dating after meeting at an awards ceremony in 2013, shortly after he split with ex Megan Tomlin, following the birth of their son Teddy, now 11. Months into their romance, Jac fell pregnant and they welcomed Ella in February 2015. The couple married in Cheshire in June 2017, with Mia born the following year. But marriage and kids didn’t put a stop to the rumours.
They split briefly in May 2018, after Dan was linked to Love Island’s Gabby Allen in 2018 after they were pictured together on a yacht in Marbella. He hit back at the claims, calling her ‘a friend’. That same year, Dan faced allegations he had sex with a woman months after his wedding and was forced to deny rumours he had a threesome with his Celebrity Big Brother housemates, model Chloe Ayling and US reality TV star Natalie Nunn. Dan was also said to have kissed Love Island star Alexandra Cane on a night out in 2019, which he denied, insisting the claims were ‘rubbish’.
But after Jac was crowned queen of the I’m A Celeb jungle in 2019, Dan seemed to be in a reflective mood and admitted he had made ‘mistakes’ – with the couple vowing to ‘restart their relationship’. He wrote, ‘After weeks, months, years of constant articles and rumours, some true, some very untrue, I want to publicly say, I know I have made some mistakes, we all do as humans, but I’ve made some that have almost cost me my family. I have seriously learnt from these massively, so I want to publicly apologise to my beautiful wife and my family for the mistakes I’ve made’.
Split rumours re-emerged in 2020, with reports that Jac – who returned to her soap role as Lauren Branning in 2023 – moved out during lockdown. But last July, she posted a tribute to Dan as her ‘bestest friend’. ‘Love you more than ever,’ she said.
While their split came as a shock, their relationship has been rocked by drama, with the source saying that Jacqueline struggled to get past Dan’s wandering eye. ‘Jac is convinced Dan will be out partying and pictured with girls in the next few weeks – he can’t help himself,’ the source says.
Recent reports that Dan had purchased his own property, which had left Jac blindsided, were said to have contributed to the split. But our source reveal that the theft of her engagement ring while they were on holiday in Marbella last August has taken its toll. ‘Dan didn’t buy a property without Jac knowing, and this split hasn’t been a sudden thing. Since the robbery on holiday and her ring being stolen, Jac saw that as an omen – her heart’s just not been in this marriage. Same for Dan,’ they say.
The source adds that despite the split, the pair have vowed to always put their daughters first. ‘The girls are their focus, that’s where they will focus their happiness. Neither of them want to get into lengthy expensive legals, but they know divorce is on the cards.’
Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne's Rollercoaster Romance
Ex drama
Jac and Dan got together amid a tumultuous time as Dan’s ex Megan was pregnant with their child Teddy. Meghan accused him of hitting her and making threats while he was supposedly with Jacqueline. In a taped recording, a voice sounding like Dan’s said, ‘If you go near another man I promise you I will stab you in the f***ing throat’. He later issued an apology, saying he was ‘ashamed and embarrassed’.
Whirlwind pregnancy
Within several months of dating officially, Jac fell pregnant with their first child. Ella arrived in February 2015. ‘She’s perfect,’ said the proud new mum.
Gabby drama
Dan and Gabby sparked romance rumours after they were seen looking ‘cosy’ in 2018. Despite his denial, speculation over their relationship rose when they both took part in Celebrity Big Brother that year.
CBB threesome
Dan was accused of having a threesome with his Celebrity Big Brother housemates Chloe Ayling and Natalie Nunn after a night out in 2018. He branded the claims ‘complete rubbish’.
Jac moves out
Jac moved out to her parent’s home during lockdown over claims she and Dan had been ‘fighting non-stop’. ‘I need some time. There is no split. No divorce,’ she said.