Carol McGiffin has admitted that she regrets tying the knot with her first husband, Chris Evans, revealing that, for much of their marriage, she didn’t even like him. The Loose Women star, 66, opened up about her troubled relationship with the DJ in a candid interview, explaining that she “didn’t really know” why they had married in the first place.
Carol and Chris, who were married from 1991 to 1998, have both been open about their difficult and often volatile relationship. Carol has previously described Chris as “manipulative” and claims that he was “nothing without her.” Reflecting on their wedding, she admitted that their marriage was more about being “swept along” with the relationship rather than being a well-thought-out decision.
“I don’t really know why we got married,” she confessed. “It was a big mistake. And whatever he was getting up to when I wasn’t around, I didn’t know for sure, but I kind of didn’t really care. I didn’t like him for quite a lot of time.”
Carol, who has always been outspoken about her personal life, also revealed that she had suspicions of Chris’s infidelity during their marriage, but she didn’t confront him, as she knew deep down that she no longer wanted to be married to him.
She said: “People get past being cheated on, let me say that. I’ve never cheated on anyone, but when you think about, this is called Suddenly Single, I have been single most of my life. So, the few serious relationships I’ve been in, there was only one of them where I would say ‘Yeah I reckon, he definitely did.’”
Carol continued, “But in the end, it was, obviously it was my first marriage, and I didn’t want to be married to him anymore anyway, and I don’t even know why we got married. It was a big mistake.”
A Relationship Full of Drama
Their marriage was fraught with conflict and petty arguments, many of which were discussed by Carol in past interviews. One of the most infamous arguments between them revolved around something as trivial as a can of deodorant. Carol recalled, “We had one about a can of deodorant—the second he’d bought in the eight months he’d been living with me. He seemed to think he was some sort of hero for buying it, so I suggested that he might have bought some of the other things he used all the time, such as toothpaste.”
The argument escalated to the point where Chris threw the can across the room, smashing cassette cases. Carol pointed out how the absurdity of their arguments only highlighted the fundamental incompatibility of their relationship. “Next morning, he squeezed the toothpaste that was left down the lavatory. See? Pathetic,” she said.
A Toxic Relationship That Led to a Quick Divorce
Despite the years of tension, Carol and Chris’ divorce wasn’t finalized until 1998, two years after they separated. In hindsight, Carol has described their marriage as a mistake, and she has been very vocal about her regret. “I was just swept along,” she explained on Loose Women in 2019. “At the time, I convinced myself I couldn’t live without him.”
But Carol made it clear that money wasn’t the reason for her marriage to Chris, despite rumors to the contrary. “Anyone who thinks I married him for his money, that’s nonsense because I had more money than him at the time. He was nothing without me, nothing. I’m glad it all went a bit wrong. I persevered with it, and I was determined to make it work.”
Looking Back and Moving Forward
While Carol and Chris’ marriage is now a distant memory, Carol’s remarks shed light on the toxic nature of their relationship. It was a relationship that, for her, ultimately ended in bitterness and regret. However, she does not regret meeting Chris, even though their marriage ended in turmoil.
“It was a wild ride,” Carol said. “He was like a Class A drug, and I was well and truly addicted.” Carol described meeting Chris as a young woman working at the Music Box TV channel, recalling how his bright orange hair and confident swagger caught her attention. “He came into the office, all legs and bright orange hair—but it was the oh-so-confident swagger that got my attention,” she remembered.
Since their divorce, Chris has gone on to marry twice more. His first marriage to Billie Piper ended in 2004 after a whirlwind romance, and he married golfer Natasha Shishmanian in 2007. The couple now has four children together, with their youngest twins born in 2018. Despite his numerous marriages, Carol remains resolute in her belief that her marriage to Chris was never meant to be.
Carol, who went on to marry Mark Cassidy in 2018 in a secret ceremony in Thailand, now enjoys a much more peaceful and fulfilling relationship. “I don’t regret it, but I don’t like to admit that, for a while, I turned into a crazy, dependent, idiotic human being,” she confessed.
Moving On and Finding Happiness
Carol’s story serves as a reminder that not all relationships are meant to last, no matter how much effort you put into them. While her marriage to Chris Evans was marred by emotional turbulence, Carol has found peace and happiness in her current relationship. As for Chris, he’s moved on to a life with Natasha, with whom he has a large family.
Although their marriage ended in a whirlwind of disagreements and misunderstandings, Carol has since found a sense of closure and peace, even if it took years to get there. In a world full of ups and downs, Carol’s story is one of resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to move forward despite the past.