Latest news with #Martine
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Martine McCutcheon's pals reveal how Love Actually icon went bankrupt for a second time
Former EastEnders actress Martine McCutcheon is having a rough time of it of late, with the newly single star recently declared bankrupt for a second time Former EastEnders actress Martine McCutcheon has been hit with another blow just a year after parting ways with her husband Jack McManus, with it revealed over the weekend that the newly single star has fallen on hard times financially. The Love Actually actress has reportedly been declared bankrupt, as per court documents, following a petition for insolvency over a debt owed to a finance company, official public records have disclosed. This comes on the heels of her having to reduce the asking price of her beautiful Surrey home. It's now claimed the star, who was once worth millions as an Olivier Award winner with a number one single to her name, lost her money due to "high spending habits" and struggling to land roles amid a battle with ill health. Martine's friends reportedly say their pal made some "highly questionable spending decisions" over recent years, like paying 'thousands' to the Mafia in order to tie the knot with ex Jack in Lake Como, Italy back in 2012. The mum-of-one being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME) in 2011 and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) has also damaged her bank balance and seen her earnings take a dip. One of the star's friends muses how, despite appearing in one of the nation's favourite soaps and classic Christmas film Love Actually, Martine's most iconic roles came about over 20 years ago and "money does not last for ever if you do not invest it wisely." "It has not helped that she loves the finer things in her life, and it is no secret that she has spent more than she should have done over the years," the pal tells the Daily Mail. "She has had bits and pieces of TV work recently – but nothing has come close to being a blockbuster role that might get her out of her financial mess." They add: "It's a real shame as she's immensely talented with a wealth of experience. Hopefully she can turn things around, but she's had a real tough time." A court document indicates that the insolvency order was issued on 31 March this year, a few months after she announced her split from Jack, her husband of 18 years. The couple share a 10 year old son, Rafferty. The bankruptcy ruling, which was filed under her married name, Martine McManus, was handed down in March at the County Court in Guildford, instigated by a petition from a firm named LDF Finance. Meanwhile, Martine's company, Raven Music Ltd, was also wound up last month, a move initiated by HMRC due to outstanding tax bills. The most recent accounts reveal that the business had a tax liability exceeding £175,000, due within the 12-month period post-February 2022. However, the total amount of Martine's personal tax bill remains undisclosed, and it is yet to be determined whether the Official Receiver will call for a public examination of her bankruptcy, which would lay bare her financial situation. This isn't Martine's first brush with financial woes. Despite a previous net worth of around £2million, she faced bankruptcy in 2013 with debts totalling approximately £187,000, including a hefty £150,000 owed to HMRC. By the following year, Martine had been discharged from bankruptcy and was once again financially solvent. She and her now ex-husband splashed out a staggering £1.3million on their former marital home in Surrey just three years prior. Last year, the pair announced their separation after an 18-year marriage. Announcing their separation on social media, she stated: "After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision. I continue to send Jack, all the love, luck and happiness for the next chapter of his life."
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
EastEnders' Martine McCutcheon declared bankrupt
Martine McCutcheon has been declared bankrupt after a petition was filed for insolvency over a debt to a finance company, official public records reveal. EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon has encountered further distress a year on from her separation from husband Jack McManus. The 49 year old actress has been declared bankrupt following a petition for insolvency due to a debt owed to a finance firm, official public records indicate. This comes after she was compelled to reduce the asking price of her beautiful Surrey home. A court document reveals that the insolvency order was issued on 31 March this year, just a few months after her announcement of her split from Jack, her spouse of 18 years. Martine and Jack are parents to their 10 year old son Rafferty. The bankruptcy ruling, registered under her married name Martine McManus, was granted in March at the County Court in Guildford, subsequent to a petition lodged by a company named LDF Finance. However, Martine's company, Raven Music Ltd, was also liquidated last month, a move initiated by HMRC, due to unsettled tax bills, reports the Mirror. The most recent accounts reveal that the business had an outstanding tax bill exceeding £175,000, due within the 12-month period following February 2022. However, the total amount of Martine's personal tax bill remains undisclosed, and it is yet to be determined whether the Official Receiver will request a public examination of her bankruptcy, which would disclose her financial situation. Despite facing bankruptcy, Martine has kept her spirits high and hasn't let the strain show publicly. She recently shared a joyful day out with her son, Rafferty, and their pet dog on social media. Addressing her 635,000 Instagram followers, the ex-EastEnders actress expressed: "Wow... I needed this more than even I thought! I love being by the water.." She continued to share her appreciation for the UK's beauty spots, especially in good weather: "The UK has SO many beautiful places and in the sunshine, it really does take some beating, doesn't it? This is us on Hampton Court River.... We booked a boat, and took a little picnic, and it was gorgeous! ! Where do you love to go to in the sunshine months? I would love to hear your thoughts for our next little excursions in the summer!" However, this isn't Martine's first encounter with financial woes. Despite previously having a fortune estimated at £2million, she faced bankruptcy in 2013 due to debts totalling about £187,000, including a hefty £150,000 owed to HMRC. Remarkably, just a year after her bankruptcy, Martine was discharged and returned to financial stability. She and her now ex-husband splashed out an astonishing £1.3million on their former family home in Surrey only three years prior. Last year, the pair announced their separation after a marriage of 18 years. Announcing their separation on social media, she stated: "After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision." She went on to express her well-wishes: "I continue to send Jack, all the love, luck and happiness for the next chapter of his life." This news came just a few weeks after they put their £1.5million home up for sale.
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Martine McCutcheon declared bankrupt for second time months after marriage split
Actress and singer Martine McCutcheon has been declared bankrupt, 11 months on from her marriage split. The ex-EastEnders star began dating Jack McManus in 2009, and they married in 2012 before announcing their separation last year. Now, it has been revealed that the 49-year-old has filed a petition for insolvency due to a debt to a finance company. As official public records state, Love Actually actress Martine made the filing just two months after selling her family home, which she did at a slashed price, knocking £250,000 off the £1.5million Surrey pad for a faster sale. According to MailOnline, Martine's bankruptcy order was made in her married name—Martine McManus—despite her being single at the time. The order was issued in March at the County Court in Guildford, Surrey, after the company LDF Finance filed a petition. It has not been specified how much money Martine owes them. This is the second time Martine has been declared bankrupt. Her first came in February 2013 at a High Court in London, even though she was said to be earning more than £250k a year then. Shortly after the bankruptcy became public knowledge, Martine took to social media with a message for her followers. 'I can't begin to express my love and gratitude for such kind and encouraging messages. I'm truly so touched. I love you guys. Thank you. Xx', she wrote on X, then Twitter. Martine, known for playing Tiffany Mitchell, was then discharged from bankruptcy on January 2, 2014. Also within a year of their wedding day, Martine faced serious financial hardship as debts mounted. Consequently, she had to sell the £25,000 engagement ring Jack proposed to her with. 'I just thought my health, money, career have all been taken from me, and now even my engagement ring—the one thing that represents what is solid in my life—has gone,' she said woefully at the time. Back to present day, alas, her second bankruptcy isn't the only financial issue facing Martine as she navigates her divorce. Last month, her company, Raven Music Ltd, allegedly faced off with HMRC over unpaid tax bills, owing over £175k. It comes after Martine released a statement confirming she and Jack, with whom she shares a 10-year-old son, were parting ways. 'After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision,' she previously wrote on Instagram. 'We are both so very blessed and grateful for our beautiful, 9 year old son Rafferty, whose happiness and welfare, has always been, and will continue to be, our number one priority.' She added that both parties 'still cherish and look forward to being parents together to [their] wonderful boy for the rest of [their] lives'. 'Whilst this decision has evolved over a period of time, we are still finding our new way forward as a family and kindly ask for some privacy at this time… Especially for our little boy,' penned Martine. 'Our love for Rafferty is something that will never, waver, or change and we obviously want to protect him and help him feel as safe and secure as possible.' She concluded by thanking fans for their 'respect and support' through the 'difficult' time, also wishing Jack 'all the love, luck, and happiness for the next chapter' of his life. Martine and songwriter Jack first met at a music event in London, with the soap star recalling that it was pretty much love at first sight. 'We laid eyes on each other, and that was it,' she said. 'When we met, something very wonderful happened. 'I thought when I met The One. I'd be shouting it from the rooftops, because that's the sort of person I am. But it was like a quiet contentedness. More Trending 'It was so calm and warm, and I felt, for once, that I didn't need to brag. I think he felt the same.' They tied the knot five years later in a lavish Lake Como ceremony. Even that came with an unprecedented price, though, with Jack confessing afterwards that 'hidden costs' were incurred, forcing them to pay 'thousands' to the mafia to let off fireworks. View More » Reps for Martine McCutcheon have been contacted for comment. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.
Daily Mirror
06-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I saw my leg hanging after train exploded and realised I'd become amputee'
The most injured female survivor of the 7/7 bombings Martine Wright reflects on the day that changed everything and tells new how she coped with the tragedy and rebuilt her life Martine Wright, from Tring, Hertfordshire, is regarded as the most injured female survivor of the 7/7 London bombings, which claimed the lives of 52 victims. This week marks 20 years since the attack, and now Martine is opening up about losing her legs in the blast, and tells us how she went on to become a Paralympian. Martine, 52, was so badly injured, her siblings were unable to identify her in hospital. But the mum-of-one has come a long way since that catastrophic day, which will be etched in her memory forever. 7 July 2005 started out as a typical day for Martine, who lived and worked in London as a marketing manager. An avid sports fan, she had spent the previous night celebrating the announcement that London would host the 2012 Olympic Games. Waking up with a bit of a sore head after the festivities, she hit the snooze button on her alarm and ended up catching a later Tube train than usual that morning. But within minutes of taking her seat and opening her newspaper, a terrorist struck. Talking us through that devastating day, Martine recalls, 'I distinctly remember going into the tunnel at Liverpool Street and thinking about getting tickets for the Olympics when the explosion happened.' Big white flash 'I don't remember the noise of the explosion, I just recall a big white flash in front of my eyes. It was weird that I had enough time to think, 'What the hell is going on?' I can't believe I had enough time to think that in that nanosecond.' Martine initially thought the Tube train had crashed as she tried to get her bearings among the piercing screams, black smoke and wreckage around her. However, a bomb had exploded just four feet away from her in the first suicide attack on British soil. 'There were all sorts of screams and electrical smells coming from the cables. A gentleman who was sitting next to me as the bomb went off was being electrocuted before my eyes,' she explains. 'I could see thick black smoke, which then started clearing, then I realised my body had been swung around 90 degrees.' She continues, 'The smoke started clearing and I couldn't figure out why I couldn't move. Then I realised my legs were caught up in the wreckage. I looked up and saw one of my white trainers about six feet above my head with blood all over it – and it obviously wasn't attached to my body any more. I didn't realise at that point that I was an amputee.' Martine had lost 80% of her blood and her life was at risk – however a quick- thinking off-duty police officer, called Liz Kenworthy, asked those around her for belts and cardigans to create tourniquets to stem the blood. Liz stayed with Martine for more than an hour until the emergency services could reach them, and she later received an MBE for her heroism. Martine describes Liz as her 'guardian angel' and says she never feared death despite her horrific injuries. 'Liz was running towards danger and refusing to leave when we didn't know if there would be another device, and she stayed with me,' Martine says. 'I thought the blood was coming out of my stomach as well because my guts were all coming out. 'I felt like I was in some sort of film. I was stuck for an hour and a quarter and had to be cut out – and I was the last person to be rescued. While I thought I had fallen unconscious, a firefighter later told me I dug my nails into him, which left a scar, and I was screaming in agony.' After being freed, Martine was rushed to the Royal London Hospital into a room with 22 other survivors called 'Hotel Unknown' as she'd arrived without ID. Her brother and sister didn't recognise her, so when a doctor asked them if anyone else could identify her, Martine's mum arrived on the ward. 'She recognised me by my eyebrows,' Martine recalls. Martine was in a coma for a week and had about 12 operations, including a double leg amputation. She says, 'I'm a product of the hard work and commitment of those NHS doctors and nurses – they're amazing.' Addressing how she began to process what had happened, Martine says, 'I found out 52 people had died and my feelings started changing when I talked to other victims in the hospital who had lost limbs too. 'I've always been a positive person and saw a lot of amputees struggling. I felt I could be positive for them. I wanted to hold their hands and say, 'It's going to be OK.'' Martine, who became a double-amputee at just 33, remained strong until she eventually returned to work and started sobbing at her desk 45 seconds into her day. After a tearful chat with her manager, she decided she had to leave her corporate role and focus on something else. Paralympic success Martine was invited by her physio to an amputee Paralympic potential day, where she quickly fell in love with sitting volleyball and wheelchair tennis. Before long, she was trying out for Great Britain's first sitting volleyball team. Her son, Oscar, was born in July 2009 and by the time he was three months old, she was on the way to the 2012 Paralympics, officially part of Team GB. On the day, she was no longer living in London, and returning to the city was a big moment. She wore a No 7 shirt as a nod to the date that changed everything. She says, 'London will always be in my heart. It's in my blood. But I am glad I live in Hertfordshire with my family now.' Following her Paralympic success, Martine went on to become a motivational speaker, Channel 4 reporter and author. In 2016, she was awarded an MBE for her services to sport. 20-year anniversary It understandably took Martine a long time to go on a Tube train again, but on the 10-year anniversary of the attack, she took the London Underground from Westbourne Grove to Wimbledon with her family. 'I went into the tunnel and my heart started pounding, but I've been back on the Tube since then,' she says. 'The other day, I went to London Bridge and back, but it's a logistical nightmare with prosthetic legs and a wheelchair.' And now, two decades since the bombings, Martine says she wants to do something to mark the anniversary. She's hoping to raise money for charities that have helped her and even teased that she might be climbing a mountain. 'This year is really about reflecting on how kind of lucky I am. It was horrific, but amazing things have come my way as a result of going through that awful day.'
Wales Online
01-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Plans for pirate bar in seaside village to be refused
Plans for pirate bar in seaside village to be refused A decision is due on the rum bar plans for the Coastal Schooner interpretation centre in Saundersfoot as the proposals are recommended for refusal The Coastal Schooner in Saundersfoot Harbour. (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service ) Plans for a pirate-themed bar at a family venue in a Pembrokeshire seaside village, which was partly built to reflect its coal heritage, are likely to be rejected next week. Jonathan Thomas of 'Schooner' has applied for permission to convert the Coastal Schooner interpretation centre in Saundersfoot Harbour into a rum-themed bar. The application is being considered by committee members rather than planning officers as it was called in by a member of the authority. The schooner – a key feature on the village's National Events Deck – was constructed to highlight Saundersfoot's maritime heritage and is part of the £10m Wales Coastal Centre project. The building replicates a traditional coastal schooner vessel that operated from the harbour during the coal mining era to transport coal from Saundersfoot. The interpretation centre closed in October 2024, and the proposed rum bar would operate from 11am-11pm. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The plans to establish the pirate and rum-themed bar with a terrace on the boat have upset villagers who are already frustrated at unsuccessful attempts to make the project commercially viable. Saundersfoot Community Council and Saundersfoot South county councillor Chris Williams have expressed their objections to the plans. Councillor Williams has previously stated: "My principal concern now lies with the proposed change of use. "I strongly believe that if this had been the original application, it would never have been approved in this location. Article continues below "To allow such a transformation through a change of use application undermines the original planning process and sets a concerning precedent. "It's disappointing that in the past few years, nothing has ever proved viable at the schooner. I just wish there had been more interaction with the community, because I feel that residents should be at the heart of all developments in the village. "The pursuit of commercial viability must not come at the cost of appropriateness and respect for the site's character as a busy working harbour." Saundersfoot Community Council objected to the scheme on the basis, saying the proposal as a rum bar "raises concerns in this location and is considered to be at odds with the current family venue and heritage elements". A supporting statement accompanying the application says: "The maritime theme will be maintained as the bar will include a small-scale rum distillery and will focus on the Martine history associated with rum and tell the tales of local pirates. "The Schooner operated as an interpretation centre and high ropes offer for a year from October 2023 to October 2024. However, it has proved not to be a viable option to run the Schooner as an interpretation centre alone and an additional use is sought to maintain the interpretation element of the Schooner. "The High Ropes offer proved to be an unviable option to retain going forward." The proposal aims to transform the site into a mixed-use interpretation centre and bar, drawing inspiration from the Rum Story in Whitehaven Harbour, albeit on a smaller scale. According to the plans: "The proposal will allow for the Schooner to be maintained and be freely open to the public thus protecting and enhancing the community facilities to meet the needs of local people and visitors alike. Article continues below "The proposal would also sustain the future of the interpretation element of the Schooner which in turn will protect and enhance the harbour, which is one of the key attractions in Pembrokeshire." However, an officer's report has recommended refusal, citing that the scheme falls outside the defined retail area of the seaside village and may negatively impact the local amenity, particularly for nearby residents.
