{"id":13956,"date":"2026-09-12T12:09:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T11:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/12\/inside-2point4-childrens-clare-buckfields-life-today-after-tragic-split-from-dec-donnelly\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T12:09:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T11:09:00","slug":"inside-2point4-childrens-clare-buckfields-life-today-after-tragic-split-from-dec-donnelly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/12\/inside-2point4-childrens-clare-buckfields-life-today-after-tragic-split-from-dec-donnelly\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside 2point4 Children&#8217;s Clare Buckfield&#8217;s life today after tragic split from Dec Donnelly"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_a3ef02\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Clare shot to TV stardom in the 90s before meeting one half of the presenting duo<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<div class=\"Byline_author-and-badge-wrapper__2dsv1\">\n<div class=\"Authors_authors-container__wVWas\" data-testid=\"byline-author\" data-tmdatatrack=\"author\" style=\"--authors-by:&quot;By&quot;\"><span><span role=\"presentation\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"AuthorLink_author-link__rg5qj\" data-tmdatatrack=\"author\" data-testid=\"byline-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailyrecord.co.uk\/authors\/lucy-farrell\/\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35 __className_a3ef02\">Lucy Farrell<\/strong><\/a><\/span> Trends, Showbiz &amp; Lifestyle Editor<\/span><span> and <strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35 __className_a3ef02\">Peter Hart<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\">12:09, 12 Sep 2026<\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated 12:13, 12 Sep 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"34781108\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Clare and Dec enjoyed 10 years together - before everything changed\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Clare and Dec enjoyed 10 years together &#8211; before everything changed<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Clare Buckfield and Dec Donnelly seemed to have it all as a couple. As well as career success, the actress and tv personality duo enjoyed 10 years of bliss together. That is, until one day in 2002, when things came crashing down.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Clare shared a home with one half of <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"presenting powerhouse Ant and DecLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailyrecord.co.uk\/tv\/im-celeb-fans-open-up-37655104\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">presenting powerhouse Ant and Dec<\/a> and envisioned marriage and a future together. But this would change after her partner made headlines over an alleged affair with a dancer her met at a club.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Clare, who was 26 at the time, had carved out an impressive on-screen career, starting out on TV&#8217;s Grange Hill before progressing to play the role of Jenny in <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"BBCLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailyrecord.co.uk\/all-about\/bbc\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">BBC<\/a> sitcom 2point4 Children until 1999. It was this part that helped cement Clare as a household name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The revelation of Dec&#8217;s alleged infidelities shook Clare&#8217;s world, with everything suddenly changing. Speaking on it, she explained: &#8220;Nobody can be prepared for something like that. It was horrible, painful and unbelievably difficult. It was as bad as anyone would think it could be. We were together a very long time. I did think it would end up in marriage.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37640291\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37640291\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.345291479820628\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Belinda Lang Clare Buckfield Gary Olsen and John Pickard  actors from 2Point4 Children television prorgamme\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article37640291.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/2_2Point4-Children.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article37640291.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/2_2Point4-Children.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article37640291.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/2_2Point4-Children.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article37640291.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/2_2Point4-Children.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"The BBC show was hugely popular and cemented Clare (centred) as a TV star\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">The BBC show was hugely popular and cemented Clare (centred) as a TV star<cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">2point4 Children was a hugely hugely-popular show that ran on BBC One from 1991 to 1999. The sitcom focused on the day-to-day of the working class Porter family. Members would get into odd scenarios and have their worlds turned upside down, with the show cementing Clare as a young TV star, reports the <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"MirrorLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/3am\/celebrity-news\/2point4-childrens-clare-buckfield-now-37640232\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Mirror<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">After her painful split from Dec, she secured more <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"TVLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailyrecord.co.uk\/tv\/\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">TV<\/a> work, appearing in episodes of Dangerfield, Doctors and Holby City, and also moved into musical theatre, starring in stage productions including Grease and Little Shop of Horrors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Her biggest TV comeback came in 2007, when she took to the rink for the second-ever series of ITV&#8217;s Dancing on Ice. Teaming up with Russian skating star Andrei Lipanov, Clare blew away the judges, finishing as runner-up behind rugby star winner Kyran Bracken.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Since then, things have been a lot more quiet for Clare \u2013 who&#8217;s pals with Ant McPartlin&#8217;s ex Lisa Armstrong \u2013 as she&#8217;s embraced life away from the glare of the showbiz spotlight with a brand-new career as a celebrant, officiating over weddings and funerals.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37646999\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37646999\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Clare Buckfield head shot older\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article37646999.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/470894035_1293240958769254_1631356557293194925_n.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article37646999.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/470894035_1293240958769254_1631356557293194925_n.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article37646999.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/470894035_1293240958769254_1631356557293194925_n.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article37646999.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/470894035_1293240958769254_1631356557293194925_n.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Clare has since made a career change\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Clare has since made a career change<cite aria-label=\"Image: clarebuckfield_celebrant\/Instagram\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: clarebuckfield_celebrant\/Instagram)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Writing on her official website, she explins: &#8220;I specialise in creating personalised wedding and funeral ceremonies that cater to the unique needs and preferences of each family. With a focus on delivering an an exceptional experience, crafted with heartfelt sincerity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">She goes on to highlight her previous career, adding: &#8220;With over 25 years experience performing worldwide, from playing intimate fringe venues, to London\u2019s West End theatre\u2019s and nationwide arenas, I promise to deliver your ceremony with the upmost professionalism and charm.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Whether you are dreaming of a traditional, beachfront, or funky festival style of wedding let\u2019s explore your dreams and visions and create your perfect wedding day.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Away from work, Clare is believed to have settled down in Cambridgeshire, living close to her identical twin sister Julie, who is also an actress. She embraces life as a mum after welcoming her son, Johnny, in 2013.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailyrecord.co.uk\/tv\/inside-2point4-childrens-clare-buckfield-37655325\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Clare shot to TV stardom in the 90s before meeting one half of the presenting duo Lucy Farrell Trends, Showbiz &amp; Lifestyle Editor and Peter Hart 12:09, 12 Sep 2026Updated 12:13, 12 Sep 2026 Clare and Dec enjoyed 10 years together &#8211; before everything changed(Image: Getty Images) Clare Buckfield and Dec Donnelly seemed to have [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13957,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk\/article34781108.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200d\/1_World-Premiere-Of-Harry-Potter-And-The-Philosophers-Stone.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[16418,4308,759,16420,6664,16419,16417,4313,8088,574,315,5456,458,3722],"class_list":["post-13956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity","tag-2point4","tag-ant-and-dec","tag-bbc","tag-buckfields","tag-childrens","tag-clare","tag-dancing-on-ice","tag-dec","tag-donnelly","tag-itv","tag-life","tag-split","tag-today","tag-tragic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13956"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13956\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehotedit.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}