Why did Ben Foden and Una Healy split?

16 January 2022, 17:30

When did Ben Foden marry Una Healy and why did they split? Here's what we know about the Dancing on Ice star's marriage...

Rugby player Ben Foden is taking part in this year’s Dancing On Ice in the hope of impressing judges Torvell and Dean.

Speaking of his new challenge, the 36-year-old said: “I used to skate a little when I was a kid. I’d go to ice discos when I was 15, 16 (years old) and you’d always see these kids that could do pirouettes that had a proper dancing background.

“I like the idea of learning a new sport and a new skill. I’m quite competitive as well so I like the challenge of competing against others doing something that I’m not necessarily good at!”

But when was Ben married to Una Healy and what happened in their marriage? Here’s what we know…

When did Ben Foden and Una Healy get married?

Ben Foden got married to Una Healy in 2012 after meeting through Ben’s agent.

Back in 2013, Ben admitted that he had spotted Una while she was performing with The Saturdays.

"I'd been having lunch in a pub with my agent when he asked about my love life, and I was, 'Oh, non existent'," he told Attitude magazine.

"He asked if there was anyone I was thinking about, then The Saturdays popped up on the music channel in the corner, and I said, 'Oh, the one with the blue tights'.

"And the next thing I know, I've got a text saying, 'She's expecting your call'."

The pair now share nine-year-old daughter Aoife and six-year-old son Tadhg.

Why did Ben Foden and Una Healy split?

Ben and Una, 40, split in 2018 after six years of marriage.

At the time, there were rumours the star had been unfaithful to his wife she was pregnant with their second child.

In a later interview, Ben admitted that he had cheated but said that there was more to it.

"At the moment anything that’s published about me is never very good and pretty rightly so, because I was the one who committed adultery," he told The Guardian.

“But at the same time, it wasn’t the only reason for our divorce to go through.

"It’s not ideal but we’re very amicable, we’re getting through it.

"We’re not the first people in the world to get divorced. We’ve got two little kids we adore.”

The couple split up days before they were due to move to the US where Ben had just been signed to Rugby United New York.

While Ben moved across the pond, Una went home to Thurles in Tipperary with the children.

Ben is now married to wife Jackie Smith and the pair welcomed their first child together, daughter Farrah, in May 2020.

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The couple live in the US where Jackie is from and where Ben plays rugby.

Speaking to The Sun, Una said she is happy for her ex.

“I’ve never spoken badly of Ben and I wouldn’t,” she said.

“I’m only too happy for him to see them as and when he can, so regardless of our relationship, I just want as healthy a relationship as possible for him and the kids when he does see them.”

She added: “I’ve had quite a bit of time to recover from it all. It was traumatic, the whole thing, it really was.

“But I am actually very happy right now. This is me now and you have to get used to your new life and I couldn’t be at a better place than at home in Ireland with my family. That’s just how it is”.