Casualty star Amanda Mealing has declared that she is now happier than ever, two years after a cocaine-fuelled car accident and a bitter divorce from her husband of three decades. The 59-year-old actress, best known for playing Connie Beauchamp on the BBC soap, appeared in court following a crash in January 2024 when her Mini Cooper collided with another vehicle.
Court Appearance and Background
Mealing admitted to the incident, which occurred at 10am after a late-night drinking and drug binge. In court, her lawyer explained that she had been under immense stress due to her ongoing divorce from Richard Sainsbury, whom she married in 1998. The couple, who have two adult sons, ended their relationship last year.
Mealing described the year living with her ex as her "worst year ever." However, she now reports that he has moved out, and despite financial difficulties, she is the "happiest I've been." Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said: "Last year was excruciatingly painful. There were injustices and I was absolutely broken."
Legal Consequences
Following the crash, Mealing was banned from driving until January 2027. She was also fined £485, ordered to pay £400 costs, and a surcharge of £194. The court accepted her offer to pay at a rate of £100 per month. The crash left a male nurse unconscious; he later stated he was fortunate to be in a substantial car, as he had nearly taken his motorbike that day.
Her solicitor, Edward Lloyd, noted that Mealing pleaded guilty to drug-driving at the first opportunity and expressed deep shame. He added: "She's not somebody who takes drugs at all. Her brother died of a drugs overdose when he was 18, and she says herself that she should have known better."
Looking Forward
Mealing now looks to the future as a single woman. "At first it was a bit scary," she admitted, "but I love it now. I have my dogs and a few close friends who have helped so much." In addition to her role on Casualty, Mealing has appeared in Grange Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Coronation Street, Still, The Darling Buds of May, and Death in Paradise. Her first professional performance was at age six in a Julie Andrews special on BBC television.
In 2002, she took a two-year career break after being diagnosed with breast cancer but made a full recovery and returned to work.
