Research from celebrity divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd-Platt, to mark the launch of new truTV show ‘Fatal Vows’ , shows that celeb marriages are 75% shorter than the national average, and are twice as likely to get divorced.
Increased pressure, lack of quality time together and living life in the spotlight are the biggest factors in the increased rates of divorces amongst celebrities.
Fatal Vows, a show that examines how marriages can break down and even end in murder, airs on truTV from 5thApril. To mark the launch, celebrity divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd-Platt has analysed over 50 of the most famous failed celebrity marriages to explain why they so often end in disaster.
With the average celebrity union lasting just 7.4 years, compared to 32 years for the average Brit[1], she is calling for celebrities to consider pre-nuptials, not only for financial reasons, but also to include psychometric testing to prevent vows becoming fatal.
The report compiled for truTV show Fatal Vows showed that actors were found to be the most likely to tie the knot multiple times, with those analysed in that profession getting married an average of three times. Actors Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe prove this point, as they divorced after exactly seven years and four months of marriage.
Age was found to be a significant factor in divorce rates as the research found that celebrities who got married in their 30s marriages lasted three longer before divorce, then those in their 20s. Cheryl Tweedy and Ashley Cole who married in their twenties famously divorced after four years. Celebrities who were in a committed relationship for at least a year before they tied the knot lasted longer on average by 84 months than those who had shot gun weddings – for example Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphreys.
The Office of National Statistics estimates that 42% of marriages in the UK marriages end in divorce, and that 34% of marriage will have ended by the 20th wedding anniversary[2].
Celebrity divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd-Platt said:
“Celebrity marriages very often come to an early demise. The reason for this is simple and is often referred to by divorce practitioners as Competing Ego Syndrome. Put simply, this is a clash between the ego of very high profile celebrities who vie for attention of the public. When one becomes more successful than the other or the other fails to attract enough attention for a new book, celebrity film, television programme, or line of perfume, clothes etc., then they will become frustrated and take out their anger on their other celebrity partner. If one celebrity is forced to walk a few paces behind the other when the media frenzy begins, this can lead to frustration, jealousy and petty squabbles that can then explode into divorce.
Further, there is often a long distance between the parties if they are forced to travel abroad in order to make a film or carry out their work such as footballers, sports personalities etc. That distance makes relationships very hard and coupled with the opportunities to meet other people makes such celebrity situations very inflammable.”
Vanessa has created some top tips to make your marriage work, regardless of your celebrity status:
- Make sure you discuss sensitive topics with your partner to understand where they stand on certain issues and whether you have the same views.
- Spend time with their family and friends to get a sense of their values and who they associate themselves with.
- Go and try out different activities that you normally wouldn’t do to see how they handle new and challenging situations.
- Make sure you have the same goals in life e.g. do you both want children, where do you want to live – discuss this before you tie the knot
- Set boundaries on what you should expect from one another in the relationship.
Famous quick divorces
- Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries: 72 days
- Britney Spears and Jason Alexander: 55 hours
- Drew Barrymore and Jeremy Thomas: 39 days
- Nicholas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley: 108 days
Famous multiple divorces
- Jennifer Lopez – 3
- Demi Moore – 3
- Kate Winslet – 3
- Halle Berry – 3
- Drew Barrymore – 3
- Tom Cruise – 3
- Kim Kardashian – 3
- Mohammed Ali – 4
- Frank Sinatra – 4
- Liza Minelli – 4
- Martin Scorsese – 5
- Billy Bob Thornton – 6
- Elizabeth Taylor – 8
This research was undertaken to mark the launch of truTV’s new show Fatal Vows which explores shocking, tumultuous and high-stake divorces and the deadly murders linked to them. Guiding viewers through these passionate accounts of love gone wrong are Dr. Stacy Kaiser, a psychotherapist and relationship expert, and Dr. Brian Russell, a forensic psychologist and attorney.
The show airs at 9pm every Tuesday on truTV Freeview channel 68 and Sky 198.
[1] Source: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/divorces-in-england-and-wales/2011/sty-what-percentage-of-marriages-end-in-divorce.html
[2] Source: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/divorces-in-england-and-wales/2011/sty-what-percentage-of-marriages-end-in-divorce.html
