Chloe Madeley has bravely opened up about the painful end of her marriage to former rugby player James Haskell, calling it “the worst breakup imaginable.” The mother-of-one shared details of her difficult split during an appearance on the No Parental Guidance podcast, where she reflected on the emotional trauma and toxicity of their relationship breakdown and how it has shaped her life since.
A “Difficult” Divorce, But a New Bond
Despite the acrimony of their divorce, Chloe explained that she and James have been able to form a new, respectful relationship as co-parents to their daughter, Bodhi, who is now three years old. “Me and my ex-husband, as much as we had the worst breakup imaginable when our marriage fell apart, we’ve managed to co-parent respectfully throughout all the trauma and toxicity, and it was a lot,” she shared. “We’ve managed to come out the other side, very surprisingly to me more than anyone, having formed a completely new bond and new relationship and a new friendship.”
The pair, who married in 2018 and separated shortly after, have now found a way to navigate their differences for the sake of their daughter. However, Chloe admitted that it was a tough decision to leave the marriage, especially considering how it affected their young daughter.
The Key Reason for the Split: Protecting Bodhi
Chloe revealed that one of the main reasons for leaving the marriage was the negative impact it was having on Bodhi. “One of the reasons I left my marriage was because it was so bad, it was becoming harder and harder to keep it from her and she was only a baby,” she explained. Chloe expressed that she could no longer allow Bodhi to witness the constant arguments and tension between her parents, which ultimately led to her decision to separate.
James Haskell’s Mother Weighs In
Meanwhile, James’ mother, Susie Haskell, recently made some comments about their failed marriage during her son’s appearance on Celebs Go Dating. Speaking alongside James on the show, Susie suggested that the relationship went wrong because “you can’t have two stars,” implying that both James and Chloe had competing personalities that ultimately didn’t mesh.
“I do have quite a strong opinion on why I think it went wrong,” Susie said. “You can’t have two stars because then you have them competing for the floor space the whole time.”
Chloe’s Response: A Subtle Dig
Chloe, who has previously stayed out of the public drama surrounding her ex-mother-in-law, responded to Susie’s comments with a pointed Instagram post. After hearing Susie’s remarks on Celebs Go Dating, Chloe reshared a post that read: “Does anyone else feel like there are just some people in life who you have to follow around with a dustpan and brush so you can sweep up all the crap they keep dropping on the floor? Or is that just me? Honestly, if you’re reading this and you can’t relate you’re probably a crap dropper.”
With a sly reference to her ex-mother-in-law, Chloe’s post seemed to express frustration with Susie’s comments and the ongoing public commentary on her marriage.
Moving Forward
Despite the challenges of her past relationship, Chloe appears to be focusing on her daughter, her career, and her own well-being. While the public back-and-forth continues, Chloe’s resilience in the face of such a difficult breakup shows that she is determined to move forward positively, creating a stable environment for Bodhi and herself.
