Patsy Kensit Reflects on Past Hurts and High-Profile Relationships
Actress Patsy Kensit has candidly admitted to being "really hurt by people in the past" as she opened up about her life and love experiences in a revealing new interview. The 58-year-old star, who began her showbiz career at just four years old, also shared rare insights into her marriage to Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and the crucial advice given to her by music icon Elton John.
A Life Shaped by Relationships and Public Scrutiny
Having been engaged five times and married four times before receiving a PTSD diagnosis last year, Kensit explained her current approach to relationships. "I have been really hurt by people over the years, I'm not made of Teflon, and so I choose to protect myself," she revealed. "I don't need to be around people to feel okay."
Her marital journey began with singer Dan Donovan at age 22, followed by marriage to Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr. However, it was her third marriage to Liam Gallagher from 1997 to 2000 that cemented her status as one of the faces of 90s Britpop. Despite their wild partying personas dominating tabloid headlines, Kensit described a surprisingly domestic reality.
"We would spend most evenings at home watching TV and eating spaghetti hoops," she recalled of her time with Gallagher, with whom she shares son Lennon, now 26.
Navigating Media Intrusion and Celebrity Advice
The actress addressed how press interest reached fever pitch during her relationship with Gallagher, noting that Channel 4's Big Breakfast even broadcast from outside their home during their wedding week. This intense scrutiny led to the couple cancelling their planned ceremony before eventually marrying in a secret 7am service at Marylebone Town Hall.
Kensit credited Elton John with providing pivotal guidance during this challenging period. "Elton John told me I needed to stop reading the papers in the early 1990s," she shared. "So I did."
Reflecting on her media portrayal, she added: "There were a few pictures taken of me in the 1990s, looking upset, or kicking a car door in. I think the press had established this fragile, needy person, this image of someone who was almost everything I wasn't."
Revealing a Decades-Long Secret Affair
In a surprising revelation, Kensit admitted to keeping a love affair with actor Terence Stamp secret for 35 years because she didn't want to "hurt" anyone. The brief romance occurred in the early 1990s when she was 23 and Stamp was 53, following their work together on the 1991 thriller Prince of Shadows.
"We were star-crossed lovers and he was a total gentleman," she described. "Even though there was an age gap, we had a strong bond. He was an amazing and generous lover... He was probably the most beautiful man I'd ever seen."
Kensit explained she only felt ready to discuss the relationship after Stamp's death in 2025 at age 87, having ended their affair when she left the UK to film Timebomb in 1991, describing herself at the time as "young and stupid."
Coping with PTSD and Current Outlook on Relationships
The actress revealed last year that she had been diagnosed with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a mental health condition caused by extremely stressful or terrifying events. In a recent social media post featuring a sad face emoji, she wrote about having "a hard day" and feeling "mislead and hurt."
"I was diagnosed with PTSD at the end of last year and really turned a major corner and was feeling great," she shared. "I don't feel great today. I feel grateful but sad. Anyone who has dealt with mental health issues and depression will understand and know that you are not alone."
Regarding her current relationship status after calling off her engagement to property tycoon Patric Cassidy in 2024, Kensit stated: "I wouldn't want a relationship, I am not interested. I do believe in love. But for me it's not something I need, I have been on my own a long time and I like my own company. Now, it's just adjusting my life to fill the hole that's in my soul."
Kensit's Relationship History at a Glance
- Dan Donovan (1988-1991): Married at 22 to the Big Audio Dynamite musician, divorcing three years later.
- Jim Kerr (1992-1995): Married to Simple Minds frontman, with whom she shares son James, born 1993.
- Liam Gallagher (1997-2000): Married in secret ceremony, parents to son Lennon, divorced after three years.
- Jeremy Healy (2009-2010): Married to Nineties DJ for approximately one year.
- Patric Cassidy (2022-2024): Engaged to property tycoon before ending the relationship.
Kensit emphasized her priority has always been her sons' relationships with their fathers, noting she hasn't spoken to her ex-husbands in years but supports those paternal bonds. "You don't have to marry all of your boyfriends," she concluded, reflecting on her complex journey through love, loss, and personal healing.
