It’s been a tough few months for Lisa Armstrong following her split from boyfriend James Green, which turned toxic when she threatened him with legal action over the £100,000 he reportedly owes her.
And now insiders say that as the year comes to an end and 2024 approaches, the Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist is considering a move abroad for a fresh start.
A source tells Closer, “Lisa’s had a really rough time of it recently and she’s been in a dark place. While she’s got Strictly to distract her now, she hasn’t got a lot on her schedule in the months after Christmas and is starting to dread that quiet time when she finally stops and has time to process everything. She’s been planning a trip out to LA to see her pal Craig Young. She loves it every time she goes there and really needs that boost right now. And it could lead to something more permanent – she’s debated moving out there before, and now with her recent split she’s seriously considering it.”
While Lisa, 47, is currently in the midst of her annual Strictly gig, she’ll no doubt be taking time to heal after she and James, 40, went their separate ways.
Lisa and James reportedly met in a bar in London just before lockdown in 2020, and by the following year James had moved into Lisa’s £3.85 million home in London.
According to a source, Lisa and James’ relationship was going from strength-to-strength until August, when the electrician surprised the former pop singer by moving his belongings out of her home after three years together.
Despite initially claiming that their split was amicable, things took a turn for the worse in late October, after Lisa threatened to take her ex-boyfriend to court for the £100,000 that she lent him over the course of their relationship, when James reportedly became reluctant to return the money.
Lisa’s latest split comes after her highly-publicised toxic split from her ex-husband, presenter Ant McPartlin – who is currently on our screens hosting I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here with his pal Declan Donnelly.
After tying the knot in 2006 after 12 years together, they separated in early 2018 – with the pair divorcing that October.
In 2020, after years of back and forth, Ant, 48, eventually agreed to give Lisa £31m as well as part-time custody of their Labrador, Hurley. The following year Ant married his former personal assistant Anne-Marie Corbett, who had been close friends with Lisa.
And sources say it’s been tough for Lisa not only having to go through a public split again, but also to be involved in yet more legal drama.
An insider says, “Going through the heartbreak of a split is painful enough, as Lisa well knows, but to have the stress and drama of a legal battle on top, it’s pushed her to the brink and she feels as if she’s reliving her divorce from Ant all over again. While she’s trying her best to throw herself into work on Strictly, behind closed doors she’s at rock bottom and struggling to keep going.
“It doesn’t make it any easier now Ant’s back in the limelight with I’m A Celeb! – which she can’t shield herself from – and as Christmas gets nearer, all she can think of is how she’ll be spending it in the midst of yet another acrimonious split, while Ant spends his all loved-up with Anne-Marie, playing happy families with her children, which of course stings.”
“She’s been thinking about making plans for 2024 to keep her focused, and she’s had really happy times in the past out in the US, so that’s a strong option for her.”
Luckily Lisa has had her best pal and former Deuce bandmate Craig, 50, to lean on during this difficult time. The actor – who is based out in LA – previously looked after Lisa when her marriage to Ant broke down and she headed over to the States.
And the insider adds, “Lisa’s planning on jetting out there to stay with Craig in January for a few weeks and then going on a spa break to Mexico with her mum. She absolutely loves it out there – spending time in the sun and with Craig always gives her a big boost.
“Craig’s been persuading her to make the move to LA for years now and friends think that this could be the perfect time for her to take the leap and make a fresh start in the US. Being such an established make-up artist, there are a lot of opportunities out there and she already has a lot of connections in LA. Lisa has insisted she’ll keep an open mind and see how she feels when she’s out there.
“If the last few years have taught her anything, it’s how much her life can change in a heartbeat. Lisa’s incredibly strong so everyone is hoping that this split will be the making of her. Their wish is for her to find a man in America who can love and respect her for who she is, not her bank account, and that she’ll find long-lasting happiness.”