Nigella Lawson's Husband Divorces Her in a Newspaper

Nigella Lawson's husband Charles Saatchi divorced her in the Daily Mail over the weekend. Saatchi released a statement (which you can read in full below) to the Mail, which claims "Ms Lawson is not aware of the divorce ultimatum being issued by her husband...and will be devastated by his claim that she is somehow to blame for failing to speak out in his defence." This announcement comes three weeks after photos surfaced of the cookbook author/food TV person having an argument with Saatchi in a London restaurant, during which he put his hands around her neck several times.

He writes that he's divorcing Lawson because "I am disappointed that she was advised to make no public comment to explain that I abhor violence of any kind against women." According to the Mail, Saatchi kicked Lawson out of their house after her PR people asked him to apologize for the assault. His response was, apparently, "Are you crazy, you know that's not the truth." Saatchi has legally admitted to the incident, although in his statement to the Mail insists "there was no pressure applied to her. In fact it was merely a gesture — one to which a still photograph gives a wholly different and incorrect implication."

The Mail claims the couple has not spoken since Lawson moved out. Read Saatchi's statement below.

I am sorry to announce that Nigella Lawson and I are getting divorced.

This is heartbreaking for both of us as our love was very deep but in the last year we have become estranged and drifted apart. I feel that I have clearly been a disappointment to Nigella during the last year or so, and I am disappointed that she was advised to make no public comment to explain that I abhor violence of any kind against women, and have never abused her physically in any way. The row photographed at Scott's restaurant could equally have been Nigella grasping my neck to hold my attention – as indeed she has done in the past.

I must stress again my actions were not violent. We are instinctively tactile people. Yes, my hands were around her neck, and they had been touching her arm. Difficult as it may be to believe, for those who have seen the pictures, there was no pressure applied to her. In fact it was merely a gesture — one to which a still photograph gives a wholly different and incorrect implication.

Nigella has given a statement to the police to support this view. I am sorry that we had a row. I am sorry that she was upset. I am even more sorry that this is the end of our marriage.

I wish Nigella only the best for her future, and for her continuing global success.

She remains the most wonderful woman in the world. I feel very fortunate to have had such a lovely wife for many years.

· Saatchi breaks news to wife in exclusive statement [Daily Mail]
· All Nigella Lawson Coverage on Eater [-E-]