Ralph Fiennes has been accused of overshadowing his ex-wife Alex Kingston's debut on Strictly Come Dancing after releasing a trailer showing him dancing with Francesca Annis, the woman with whom he had an affair that ended his marriage. The 90-second clip, posted on YouTube on Monday, came just a day after Kingston, 62, performed on the BBC dance show.
Fiennes, 62, and Annis, 80, are starring together in the play Small Hotel at the Theatre Royal Bath, marking their first stage reunion since their affair began 30 years ago. In the trailer, Fiennes says the play 'deals with intimacy and past relationships' and is about 'reconnecting with a past lover'. Annis plays Fiennes' mother in the production, echoing their roles in a 1995 production of Hamlet where she played Gertrude to his Hamlet.
The affair between Fiennes and Annis began during that Hamlet run, leading Fiennes to leave his wife of two years, Alex Kingston, in 1997. Kingston later spoke of her despair, even contemplating suicide. Annis also left her long-term partner, photographer Patrick Wiseman, with whom she had three children.
Fiennes and Annis separated in 2006 after a Romanian singer claimed a two-year affair with Fiennes. The actor has also faced other infidelity allegations. Meanwhile, Kingston appeared unfazed by the timing of the trailer, scoring 21 points with dance partner Johannes Radebe on Strictly, placing mid-table.
