Former Made In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh has revealed that her husband Hugo Taylor threatened to divorce her three years ago during her battle with alcohol, following a public row at a wedding. The disclosure comes as the couple's separation after seven years of marriage is confirmed this week.
Marriage Under Strain From Drinking Issues
The 36-year-old reality television personality and her 39-year-old former co-star husband have parted ways following what has been described as a difficult start to the year and serious discussions about their future. Millie, who is now sober, has spoken openly about how her heavy drinking placed significant strain on their relationship years before their eventual separation.
While appearing on This Morning in January 2025 to promote her book Bad Drunk, Millie described the moment she decided to quit drinking. She explained: "It was making me really unhappy, it was really affecting my life, affecting my relationships, especially with my husband."
Wedding Argument Proved Turning Point
Host Ben Shephard read out a quote from Millie about an argument she and Hugo had at a friend's wedding, where Hugo told her: "If you don't stop drinking it's going to end our marriage." Millie added: "It had got to the point where I had taken it too far and I'd really humiliated him. I was so embarrassed, and it was a couple of days after that when I got to the point where I said 'enough is enough,' and that was two and a half years ago."
The couple, who share daughters Sienna, five, and Aurelia, four, quietly separated following what insiders describe as a challenging beginning to the year. Reports suggest that struggles in their marriage were heightened by Millie's recent admissions about her sexuality.
Sexuality Admissions Added Complexity
Sources claim that Millie's journey of self-discovery regarding her sexuality created additional challenges in the marriage. One source explained: "She's really come to understand who she is as a person - not a mother, not a wife but actually as herself. It's the first time she's been able to be fully open about her sexuality and, of course, it's been a lot to deal with."
The source added: "Part of her is always wondering if she missed out on a relationship with a woman and what that could have been like."
Alcohol and Self-Discovery Intertwined
Millie has spoken openly about how her drinking problems were connected to her struggles with understanding her sexuality. During an interview on her friend Caggie Dunlop's Saturn Returns Podcast last year, she revealed that during her teenage years, she only found the courage to express attraction to women when drinking.
She explained: "As a teen when I would drink, I would make out with women, but that's not something I felt confident to do when I was sober. I had crushes on girls at school and I just didn't have the awareness to go 'I like girls as well'. I'd just have crushes and get all weird about them."
Millie added that much of her struggle has been unpacked in therapy, telling Caggie: "I've explored a lot of my relationship to women, I was bullied so I definitely have intimacy issues with women, but there's this attraction as well."
Supportive Response and Co-Parenting Commitment
When Millie opened up to Hugo about her sexuality, she revealed that he was incredibly supportive. Despite their separation, sources close to the pair say they remain committed to co-parenting their young children, who continue to be their priority, and to maintaining a loving family life.
A source revealed: "Millie and Hugo are currently going through a separation and have sadly decided to split. They have known each other for many years, and in recent weeks, have had serious conversations about their future, ultimately deciding it's better for them both to part ways."
The source continued: "Their main priority remains their children and family life, and separating is not something they ever hoped would happen. At present, they are considering what living apart might look like and how they plan to navigate co-parenting their young children. It's been an incredibly difficult start to the year, and one they hope to continue managing in private."
Relationship History and Personal Journey
Millie first met Hugo as a teenager, and they began dating when she was 21, rising to fame together on the E4 reality series. In 2013, she married rapper Professor Green, but the couple divorced in 2016, the same year she rekindled her relationship with Hugo.
The pair tied the knot two years later and welcomed their first daughter, Sienna, in 2020, followed by Aurelia in 2021. In recent years, Millie has been open with her fans about her past struggles with alcohol, which led her to become teetotal and write the book Bad Drunk, as well as her journey in overcoming severe anxiety.
Millie has spoken candidly about how she began binge drinking at a young age while at boarding school, using alcohol to cope with being away from home, bullying and her own insecurities. Her journey toward sobriety and self-understanding has been a central theme in her public life in recent years.
