Martin Clunes’ first wife Lucy Aston has revealed what she claims is the harsh comment that sparked the end of their marriage.

The former coupled married in 1990 but just three years later things came crashing down over an argument in a Chinese restaurant.

Lucy told how cracks began to appear in the romance when Martin’s acting career took off while she continued to work in a food shop.

They had a heated row after Lucy discovered her husband had ‘forgot’ to invite her to a party. 

She claimed he called her ‘dull and boring’ for swapping their nights out in favour of studying to become a crisis counsellor.

Speaking to The Mirror, Lucy said the final straw came when, during their argument at the restaurant, the Doc Martin star allegedly said: ‘You are an embarrᴀssment.’ 

Martin Clunes ‘ first wife Lucy Aston has revealed what she claims is the harsh comment that sparked the end of their marriage

The former coupled married in 1990 but just three years later things came crashing down over an argument in a Chinese restaurant

She added: ‘He told me I was boring and different and I just thought: ‘No more.’ I stood up and said ‘thanks for dinner – this is the end’ and stormed out. I sat in the car shaking with rage.

‘Later I went back and Martin was sitting there, surrounded by takeaway cartons filled with our meal. He just looked at me. I took off my gold wedding ring, slammed it on the table and walked out.

‘We both knew it was over. I was furious when I found out he had gone to a party without telling me.’

Lucy explained she was enraged after learning Martin went to a party without her and told her he was just going out with a few actor friends.

They divorced in 1997 and Martin married Philippa Braithwaite later that year. They have been together ever since.

MailOnline has contacted a representative of Martin Clunes for comment.  

Although the Men Behaving Badly star has since said he and Lucy are now ‘friends’, he previously described their marriage as ‘rotten’.

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2008, he said: ‘I don’t know if I was searching for anything. Maybe I was. I kind of found it without looking.

They had a heated row after Lucy discovered her husband had ‘forgot’ to invite her to a party and he then allegedly told her: ‘You are an embarrᴀssment’ 

They divorced in 1997 and Martin married Philippa Braithwaite (pictured) later that year. They have been together ever since

‘When I met Philippa I was coming out of a rotten marriage, and was very resistant to the idea of getting involved again.’

Martin and Phillippa are parents to daughter Emily who was born in 1999 who now works as a manager for Cheddington Equestrian Therapy and Rehabilitation centre.

Martin’s most recent acting role was in the 2025 ITV drama Out There

He will next appear in Neil & Martin’s Bon Voyage, a travelogue miniseries with his former Men Behaving Badly co-star Neil Morrissey.