James Haskell has spoken openly about the regrets he holds following his separation from Chloe Madeley. The former rugby star, who married the daughter of Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan in 2018, split from Madeley after five years of marriage.
The couple now co-parent their three-year-old daughter Bodhi on friendly terms, having moved past what Madeley once described as "the worst breakup imaginable."
Haskell Reflects on Relationship Regrets
Appearing on the Nolans Uncensored podcast, Haskell acknowledged that the demands of his rugby career and workaholic nature caused strain. "Did she marry a rugby player that was for basically 11 months a year playing and having no weekends and couldn't plan? Yes," he said. "Did she think I think when I retired that I was going to be around all the time? But I was always a workaholic. So that was always going to be quite tricky."
Haskell, who also works as a DJ, admitted he spent too much time away after Bodhi's birth, revealing he did "12 trips to Ibiza" in one year. He questioned: "And should I have done all them? No. Should I have been around more?" He added: "We can all look back on past relationships and go, 'Maybe I shouldn't have done that' or 'we should have noticed that and talked about it'. That was only one element of it."
Co-Parenting Journey
While Madeley initially found co-parenting challenging, the pair have since reached a good place. Earlier this month, she shared a selfie with Haskell as part of a birthday weekend photo thread, demonstrating their improved relationship.
Since the split, Haskell briefly dated Big Brother star Sara McLean, though they are believed to have parted ways just two days after going public. He also appeared on Celebs Go Dating, going on several dates but leaving without a partner. When a follower asked Madeley how she felt about seeing Haskell kiss other women on the show, she said she was unbothered as long as he was happy, adding: "If true he'll be a highly entertaining watch, I know that much."
Madeley has also stated she has no interest in dating again, saying: "To me, the word 'date' suggests that you're actively trying to find someone to settle down with. So, in that regard, no, I don't date. But I'm not living in a self imposed convent either. I just don't have any intention of finding a boyfriend. I honestly cannot think of anything worse."
Reflecting on their friendship, Madeley expressed surprise that they have managed to become friends after what she described as a "toxic" marriage and "the worst breakup imaginable."
