![She said: 'They say: "[Divorce] is going to be so hard for you". And, yes, it is, but the hardest bit was when we were married. The last year of the marriage was awful'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/12/15/15/104741505-15385009-image-a-33_1765812093463.jpg)
Chloe Madeley has opened up in raw and emotional detail about the “dark and toxic” collapse of her marriage to James Haskell — revealing that while the divorce was painful, the final year of their relationship was far worse.
The fitness influencer, 38, split from the former England rugby star, 40, in 2023 after five years of marriage. The couple now co-parent their three-year-old daughter Bodhi. But Chloe has admitted that behind the scenes, she was enduring one of the most distressing periods of her life.
Reflecting on the breakdown, Chloe said the last year of the marriage was filled with pain, uncertainty and emotional exhaustion.
“In the final year of our marriage, I didn’t know how many people he was dating,” Chloe revealed. “That was one of the hardest things to process — carrying that pain quietly while trying to keep everything together.”
She continued:
“They say divorce is going to be so hard for you. And yes, it is — but the hardest bit was when we were married. The last year of the marriage was awful. It was so dark, painful, and one of the worst periods of my life. It’s a good thing we ended it.”
Chloe admitted that calling time on the relationship ultimately brought her relief, despite the fear that came with such a life-changing decision.
“I’m amazed I got through it in the way that I did,” she said. “I actually think more people should see it as a positive thing. I’m so proud of myself — and so relieved that I finally called it a day.”
She also recalled how painful it was to see James move on publicly after their separation, admitting that watching him party and spend time with other women added to her heartbreak.
Despite her close relationship with her parents — TV legends Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan — Chloe revealed she made a conscious decision to shield them from the darkest truths of her marriage breakdown.
“I tell my parents everything,” she explained, “but this time I protected them. I didn’t want them to worry. It was too painful.”
Praising her parents, who have been married for nearly 40 years, Chloe said they remain her emotional anchors. Richard has previously described the split as a “very happy uncoupling,” reassuring Chloe that she was strong enough to handle life as a single mother.
Speaking to The Sun, Chloe said:
“My parents are incredible. I genuinely won the lottery with them. They are my emotional cheerleaders. Of course they didn’t want my marriage to end — they have that old-school mentality about the family unit. But I told them, ‘Trust me, I will be happier doing this than if I stay.’”
Chloe also stressed that throughout the separation, her main priority was protecting her daughter Bodhi from turmoil and maintaining a calm, respectful co-parenting relationship with James.
Elsewhere, she shared insight into how she and her ex have worked hard to be “respectful, calm and mature” for their child’s sake — even when things behind the scenes were difficult.
While James has returned to the dating scene, Chloe admitted that although she would like to find love again, there is currently no one special in her life.
Just weeks ago, James also spoke publicly about their co-parenting arrangement, admitting that the most challenging aspects of separation are rarely visible on social media.
Appearing on This Morning alongside Mike Tindall to promote his book Reloaded – The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, written with Alex Payne, James praised Chloe as a mother and former partner.
“Chloe is an amazing mum and an amazing woman,” he said. “She’s talented, smart and brilliant at what she does.”
He added:
“When you separate, the priority always becomes the child. Your egos don’t matter. Social media doesn’t show the full picture — sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad.”
James also acknowledged Chloe’s continued support, saying:
“She always had my back. She still has my back now. Our daughter is amazing — and you just have to keep trying, even when it’s not straightforward.”
As Chloe continues to rebuild her life, her message is clear: sometimes walking away from a broken relationship isn’t failure — it’s survival, strength, and choosing peace for the people you love most.
