As Ant McPartlin becomes a first-time dad, the Mirror speaks to a relationship expert about the impacts of an ex starting a new family after experiencing fertility struggles.

It can be heartbreaking watching your ex start a family after experiencing fertility struggles, a relationship expert has told the Mirror.

Television presenter Anthony McPartlin, 48, has just announced the joyful news he has become a first-time dad after welcoming a baby boy with his wife Anne-Marie Corbett, 46. The couple, who tied the knot in 2021, shared a sweet post on Instagram on Tuesday of Ant holding their newborn son.

Over the years, Ant has shared his dreams of becoming a father and once heartbreakingly opened up about struggling to conceive with his ex-wife Lisa Armstrong. Ant and celebrity make-up artist Lisa, 47, were together for 11 years and admitted it was ‘tough’ trying for a baby in 2013.

Amid Ant’s baby joy, the Mirror spoke to a life and relationship counsellor about the hugely relatable topic and how it can trigger feelings of ‘anger’, no matter how happy you may be for an ex-partner.

Counsellor Georgina said this kind of scenario can trigger feelings of sadness and depression(Image: Claire Jonas Photography) 

Ant shared the joyful news he had become a first-time dad earlier today 

Proud parents Ant and Anne-Marie shared their happy news on Instagram. They wrote: “Welcome to the family. Wilder Patrick Mcpartlin. Born 14/05/24 at 8.54am. Baby is beautiful, Mummy’s a legend. Sisters are over the moon. Dad’s a mess.”

The birth of Ant’s baby comes seven years after he split from ex-wife Lisa. The former couple were together for over two decades and “wanted children for a while”, but it never happened. In 2013, Ant told Radio Times: “Lisa and I would love to have kids. We’re trying. It’s tougher than you think when you get a bit older.”

According to Mail Online, friends of Lisa have previously suggested that she would be “very upset” by the news of Ant’s baby, however, she has not publicly commented on the matter.

Earlier today, Lisa posted a cryptic quote on her Instagram stories that read: “Be proud of how you have been handling these past few months. The silent battles you’ve fought, the moments you’ve had to humble yourself, the times you’ve wiped your own tears. Celebrate your strength.”

Ant and ex-wife Lisa Armstrong tried to conceive for a number of years(Image: Getty Images)

Lisa posted a cryptic quote about going through ‘silent battles’ on Instagram today(Image: lisaarmstrongmakeup/Instagram) 

Explaining how it can impact a person to watch their ex-partner move on, counsellor Georgina Sturmer told the Mirror: “Endings and change can be painful, even if we have moved on to a happier situation or if we have instigated the change. There’s a sense of loss – loss of our imagined future together or of lost opportunities when a relationship hasn’t worked out.”

Georgina explained these feelings can be heightened if the ex starts a new family that they were unable to previously create. “This kind of scenario can trigger feelings of sadness or depression, as it’s a reminder of what might be missing from our own lives,” she said. “It can also lead to feelings of jealousy about their ex-partner’s new family.”

Sharing her advice for those in a similar situation to Lisa, Georgina said: “It might be tempting to put on a brave face or deny our feelings, and that might be helpful when we need to protect ourselves from becoming emotional, but it’s really important to acknowledge what we are feeling – even if those emotions are painful or frustrating.”

The former couple filed for divorce in 2018 after two decades together(Image: FilmMagic)

Lisa is reportedly planning to move to America and start a new career in Hollywood(Image: lisaarmstrongmakeup/Instagram)

Georgina suggested finding a way to voice your feelings. “This might be expressing them to yourself, through creative practices like journaling or talking to a trusted friend or relative,” she said. “Or, it might involve working with a mental health professional, like a counsellor, who can offer you a space to process your feelings without judgement.” She advised seeking support and reaching out to Fertility Network UK.

Georgina added: “Everyone responds differently to this type of situation – some of us become overwhelmed by our feelings while others might find themselves feeling numb. It’s likely even harder to cope with it when we are living in the public eye, with constant reminders of what’s going on in our lives.”

At the end of last year, it was reported Lisa had plans to move to the USA and start a new career in Hollywood. It was claimed the make-up artist wanted to escape past troubles and heartaches for a life in sunny California. Georgina said: “It sounds like Lisa is planning to take a trip overseas. This might offer her the space that she needs to create a physical and emotional boundary around herself, and any reminders of what’s going on in her ex-partner’s life.”