Fearne Cotton has broken her silence on her marital split from Jesse Wood, admitting on her Happy Place podcast that she ‘doesn’t want to feel depleted, stressed and not present in her family home’.
The presenter, 43, shocked fans by sharing the divorce announcement on Instagram – just days after she disclosed a health scare, revealing she had discovered two tumours on her jawline.
Speaking to Caroline Hirons on her latest podcast, which released on Monday, Fearne spoke of the ‘toxic pressure that a woman can have it all’.
After a stressful few weeks battling her tumour scares, going through a divorce, while running a business at the same time, Fearne admitted: ‘The pressure is immense’.
She said: ‘There is a lot of pressure for women to prove ourselves, that we can run businesses, I’m trying to do the same with Happy Place. But if we are honest, the pressure is immense.
‘I can imagine you [Caroline] are like me, there are lots of things I’d like to do, lots of goals.
Fearne Cotton, 43, has broken her silence on her marital split from Jesse Wood, 48, admitting on her Happy Place podcast that she ‘doesn’t want to feel depleted, stressed and not present in her family home’
The presenter shocked fans by sharing the divorce announcement on Instagram – just days after she disclosed a health scare, revealing she had discovered two tumours on her jawline
‘I want to grow and expand myself in many ways but I don’t want to feel depleted and stressed out and not be able to be present in my family home, [I want to] have time with my friends, have fun.
‘There is still that toxic sort of trope that women can have it all, that people believe.’
Fearne shares son Rex, 11, and daughter Honey, eight, with Jesse, 48, and she is also stepmother to his children Arthur, 21, and Lola, 18, from his first marriage.
In the statement revealing the split Fearne told fans that their priority was their children.
She posted on Instagram: ‘It is with a heavy heart that I let you all know that Jesse and I are ending our marriage. Our priority has been and always will be our children.
‘We please ask that you respect the privacy of our family at this time.’
It comes after Fearne had reportedly feared for her marriage for some time before announcing the couple’s split.
Friends of the couple have told The Mail on Friday night that Fearne and Jesse had feared for their marriage for a while.
Speaking to Caroline Hirons (pictured) on her latest podcast, which released on Monday, Fearne spoke of the ‘toxic pressure that a woman can have it all’
After a stressful few weeks battling her tumour scares, going through a divorce, while running a business at the same time, Fearne admitted: ‘The pressure is immense’
She said: ‘I want to grow and expand myself in many ways but I don’t want to feel depleted and stressed out and not be able to be present in my family home, [I want to] have time with my friends, have fun. There is still that toxic sort of trope that women can have it all’
It comes after reports that Fearne had feared for her marriage for some time before announcing the shock split from Jesse
Friends of the couple have since told The Mail on Friday night that Fearne and Jesse had feared for their marriage for a while
It has emerged that the couple had faced challenges for several years, with Fearne previously admitting that their marriage had been ‘suffering’ as far back as 2019.
Speaking at the time, Fearne said Jesse’s demanding schedule with his band Reef had put a strain on their relationship which left them desperately ‘clinging onto their marriage’ in an unearthed interview.
The couple’s problems eventually came to a head with a two-hour ‘screaming match’ where they worried their ‘love had gone’.
The presenter candidly told readers in her column for Red Magazine: ‘Love takes hard work – and no one wants to hear that’.
She continued: ‘This year, Jesse and I hit a rough patch – he was away, touring relentlessly, [with his band, Reef].
‘I was trying to keep my own career going while looking after our kids and we were both desperately clinging on to our marriage.’
After the lengthy row, which took place in a local park, the pair broke down crying but the former Top Of The Pops host credited her husband’s emotional side for them being so honest with each other.
She added: ‘In the midst of this gargantuan row, I think we both wondered where the love had gone and worried that it might not come back.’
It has now emerged that the couple had faced challenges for several years, with Fearne previously admitting that their marriage had been ‘suffering’ as far back as 2019
Speaking at the time, Fearne said Jesse’s demanding schedule with his band Reef had put a strain on their relationship which left them desperately ‘clinging onto their marriage’ in an unearthed interview; pictured 2018
After a lengthy row, which took place in a local park, the pair broke down crying but the former Top Of The Pops host credited her husband’s emotional side for them being so honest with each other
The news of the split comes just three days after Jesse’s band Reef announced they would be going on tour again in 2025 for their 30th anniversary
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Fearne and Jesse for comment.
The news comes just three days after Jesse’s band Reef announced they would be going on tour again in 2025 for their 30th anniversary.
They will be touring the country beginning in Nottingham on October 16 and ending on November 8 in London.
It comes after Fearne previously confessed the pandemic killed her and her husband’s sex life in an unearthed podcast.
Back in 2021 Fearne admitted the pair were struggling to find time for each other as she confessed ‘sexy time’ was no longer a happening.
Speaking with Alan Carr on his podcast Life’s A Beach, she said: ‘Sexy time hasn’t happened for so long in terms of me going anywhere.
‘I think for me and my husband, booking into the local Travelodge would make us feel sexy at the moment.’
Asked where they would go for a romantic trip abroad, she confessed the couple were struggling for time alone just the two of them.
Fearne tied the knot with the musician, who is the son of Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood, in 2014
The presenter took to her Instagram stories on Friday to issue the statement and tell fans their priority is their children
‘We have had no time alone because of the ridiculous pandemic but before all this craziness, Paris was our go-to.
‘Not every weekend, maybe once a year. But it felt well special because it’s so chic and beautiful.’
‘It just has an air of something gorgeous, doesn’t it? I love it there.’
Fearne’s shock split announcement comes just after the Happy Place podcaster had surgery to remove two tumours on her jawline.
Jesse, who is the son of Rolling Stone rocker Ronnie Wood and model Krissy Findlay, is yet to speak out on their split.
The couple, who tied the knot in a small London ceremony in 2014, celebrated their ten-year wedding anniversary in July.
The pair met in 2011 while in Ibiza, with Jesse having recently separated from his first wife, actress Tilly Wood.
Fearne previously said their first date consisted of vodka and cigarettes. But Jesse stopped drinking and both have been vegan since 2021.