She jetted off with boyfriend James Green on a sunshine break to Croatia earlier this month, and Lisa Armstrong showed fans how loved-up they are with a series of cute pics on Instagram.
Captioning the sun-drenched snaps, which showed fresh-faced Lisa, 45, with James, 38, and a group of close pals, the make-up artist wrote, “Me and him, Him and me…” and added the hashtag, “Happy place”.
Now, insiders say electrician James has brought joy back into Lisa’s life following tough times after her bitter split from ex-husband Ant McPartlin.
A source says, “Lisa’s holiday with James and his family and friends was just perfect; she couldn’t stop smiling.
“James has made Lisa feel part of his life ever since they started dating a couple of years ago. She’s never had anyone treat her the way he treats her, and she could just relax.”
It’s not just her love life that’s going from strength to strength – Closer recently reported how her career is also soaring, with make-up gurus in Hollywood reaching out after her guest appearance on BBC series Glow Up was streamed in the US on Netflix.
“She’s excited with how things are shaping up, in her love life and her work, too,” a source said earlier this year.
However, it’s taken a lot of effort for Lisa to build up her faith in love again following her shock split from TV presenter, and her childhood sweetheart, Ant, four years ago.
Lisa was doubly devastated when, six months later, he began dating the couple’s former assistant and mutual friend Anne-Marie Corbett, whom he married last August.
At the time, Lisa was photographed looking miserable as she dealt with the fallout, including being axed as make-up artist on Britain’s Got Talent, reportedly due to her ex-husband’s star power.
She took to Instagram and Twitter to take a series of thinly veiled swipes at her ex and Anne-Marie over their “betrayal”, and accused Ant’s PR manager, Simon Jones, of “screwing over” everyone. Simon responded to Lisa’s accusation, saying, “Lisa, please don’t come on to my Instagram with your negativity and false accusations… It really is about time you moved on and got on with your life, and stopped unfairly blaming other people for your mistakes.”
Being left completely ostracised, as their mutual friends, including Ant’s co-star Declan Donnelly, were divided, a source previously revealed how Lisa had been left wishing she could “run away and hide from everyone and everything”.
While a stint in LA helped her to heal, Lisa was dealt another heartbreaking blow when her father Derek died of cancer aged 71, after being diagnosed while she and Ant were in the middle of their bitter divorce.
The source adds, “Everyone knows what a tough time Lisa had, and everything she went through, but what she has with James feels like a new life.
“There were low points over the past few years when she never thought she’d smile again, but everyone close to her says she’s always beaming these days.”
Lisa and father-of-two James reportedly met and exchanged numbers in a London bar shortly ahead of lockdown in March 2020, when his five-year marriage to his childhood sweetheart was also falling apart.
By January 2021, James had moved into the £3.85m west London home Lisa had purchased just three months previously, following her £31m divorce settlement.
Lisa opened up about finding her dream relationship after living in Ant’s shadow for over two decades during an appearance on Steph’s Packed Lunch in February, when she was asked what makes a “happy relationship”.
She said, “You need to have your own independence within the relationship, so you’re able to go off, be with your mates, be with your boys and then come back and enjoy listening to each other’s stories. And be their own independent person, but then come together and you realise that you’re better as a couple and there’s trust, loyalty and laughter.”
Now the source reveals she’s determined to share her happiness with the fans who’ve supported her along the way.
The insider adds, “Lisa has told friends James has given her the life she’d always dreamed
of and she isn’t afraid of letting everyone know it. There’s no bitterness about her past – she’s too busy enjoying her new life!”
