Inside Ant McPartlin and Lisa Armstrong’s Lightning-Fast Divorce—12 Years of Marriage Gone in 30 Seconds!

America, grab your tissues and your popcorn—Ant McPartlin and Lisa Armstrong’s 12-year marriage just crashed and burned in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 30-second court hearing, and the fallout’s got fans stateside reeling! The Britain’s Got Talent host and his ex, a makeup artist turned influencer, officially called it quits back in 2018, but the final gavel dropped in a London courtroom, sealing their split as of April 8, 2025 records. What went down in those dozen years, and why’s this quickie divorce hitting so hard? Let’s peel back the curtain on this transatlantic tabloid tale, unpack the buzz, and dive into the end of an era. Buckle up—it’s a rollercoaster of love and loss!

Ant, 49, and Lisa, 48, were once UK TV royalty—think red carpet smiles and a 2006 wedding at Cliveden House that screamed fairy tale. But their divorce, finalized in a 30-second Zoom hearing per The Sun, was colder than a Midwest winter. “Irretrievable breakdown” was the official line, granted October 16, 2018, after Ant’s decree nisi went uncontested. “It was over faster than a Gutfeld! ad break—12 years, poof!” an X fan tweeted. The speed’s got 2 million Fox & Friends viewers—Ant’s U.S. fanbase—gawking: how’d it unravel so quick?

The backstory’s messy. They met in ’94—Ant a 19-year-old Byker Grove kid, Lisa a budding makeup pro—and tied the knot after 11 years of dating. “We grew up together—best mates,” Ant told RadioTimes in 2013. But cracks showed by 2017: Ant’s painkiller addiction after a knee surgery spiral landed him in rehab, twice. Lisa stuck it out, but his 2018 DUI crash—smashing into cars with a kid in tow—broke the camel’s back. “She was done—couldn’t save him anymore,” a pal told Daily Mail. X fans nod: “Ant’s demons torched it—Lisa held on ’til she couldn’t.”

That 30-second hearing? Brutal efficiency. Ant’s lawyer clicked in, Lisa’s didn’t fight, and boom—divorce absolute. “No drama, just done,” an X user posted. The settlement? A rumored $40 million chunk of Ant’s $60 million fortune went to Lisa in 2020—half his empire, including their $7 million London pad she kept. “She got the house, he got freedom,” a fan tweeted. Ant’s since moved on with Anne-Marie Corbett—two kids, Wilder and River, by 2025—while Lisa’s single, flexing on Insta with her pups.

Why’s it sting? Nostalgia’s a beast. Ant and Lisa were a power duo—her backstage at I’m a Celeb dolling up stars, him charming millions with Dec. “They were goals—then addiction ripped it apart,” an X mourner sighed. Their infertility struggles—Lisa’s “gut-wrenching” IVF tries, per Mirror—bonded them ’til it didn’t. “No kids, all pain—divorce was mercy,” a fan posted. Ant’s 2018 rehab exit and quick romance with Anne-Marie (Lisa’s ex-friend) fueled tabloid fire—X still burns with “#TeamLisa” rants.

Social media’s a warzone. “Ant and Lisa’s 30-second divorce—12 years shouldn’t end that fast!” one X user raged. Another jabbed, “He traded her for a new fam—cold as ice!” Stateside fans—think Gutfeld!’s 2 million—feel it too: “Ant’s a Brit legend, but this stinks—Lisa deserved better!” Memes of Ant sprinting from court to Anne-Marie’s arms trend, captioned, “12 years? More like 12 seconds!” The split’s raw—half cheer Ant’s fresh start, half mourn Lisa’s loss.

Inside the marriage? Highs and lows. Early days were golden—think Ant’s 2001 OBE nod with Lisa glowing beside him. But his addiction—pills, booze, a 2018 crash costing $170k in fines—turned it dark. “I put her through hell,” Ant admitted on ITV in 2019. Lisa’s silence post-split—she dodged press, just tweeting dog pics—speaks volumes. “She’s healing—Ant’s thriving,” an X fan noted. Their no-kid pact shifted when he started over with Anne-Marie—salt in the wound.

Will the dust settle? Lisa’s got her $40 million and Hurley the Lab—Ant’s got two tots and BGT’s 3.5 million viewers, per Nielsen. “Divorce was a blip—he’s winning now,” a fan tweeted. But X’s still split: “30 seconds to end 12 years? Lisa’s the real champ.” America’s hooked—will Ant’s U.S. fame grow, or Lisa’s glow-up steal it? For now, it’s a quick cut to a long love, proof even TV kings bleed. Here’s to both—survivors of a 30-second storm!