Fans were left shocked last week when it was revealed that Alesha Dixon has split from her long-term partner Azuka Ononye after 18 years together, with reports that the couple had become ‘more like friends’.
And now, as Alesha navigates her new single life, sources tell heat that she’s been leaning on her gal pals – and it’s her Britain’s Got Talent co-star Amanda Holden who has been her biggest support. In fact, we’re told that it was Amanda who helped Alesha finally accept that her relationship with Azuka had come to an end.
‘Amanda’s been Alesha’s rock over the last few months and she’s been the one Alesha’s turned to ever since her relationship started to crumble,’ our source says. ‘When Alesha first confessed to Amanda that her relationship was on the rocks, it was Amanda who advised her to seek professional help and do whatever it took to try and work through their issues, before making a call on her future.’
Former Mis-Teeq singer Alesha, 46, first met choreographer Azuka, 43, in 2006 when she hired him as a dancer for her tour. While the couple – who share daughters Azura, 11, and Anaya, six – were not known to be officially married, Alesha often referred to Azuka as her ‘husband’ and wore a ring on her wedding finger.
But speculation over their relationship grew in recent months, after Alesha was seen without the ring in a publicity picture for BGT – which has been filming the auditions stage since September. More noticeably, the couple had not been seen together for some time, with their last photograph out in public in March. Last month, Azuka was at the Wicked premiere with their eldest daughter, without Alesha.
Our source explains that Amanda, 53, knows more than anyone what it’s like to go through a public split. While she’s now happily married to husband of 15 years Chris Hughes – with whom she shares daughters Lexi, 18, and Hollie, 12 – she’s had her own fair share of heartbreak in the past, after the breakdown of her first marriage to comedian Les Dennis in 2002 following her affair with actor Neil Morrissey.
‘Amanda has been through a lot of pain and heartache in her life and has so much insight from past relationships, so Alesha has come to see her as almost an agony aunt and therapist – praising her for helping her to find clarity and peace with what was one of the hardest decisions of her life,’ the insider says.
‘Amanda was the only one who knew what was going on at BGT and she’d be there to support Alesha when she was having an emotional day and needed that extra lift, when plastering on a smile just became too much. There were a couple of days during filming where Alesha had almost had enough, but it was always Amanda being there, encouraging her to push through and holding her hand when she needed it. She’s been a real rock.’
Alesha, who has worked with Amanda on the ITV talent show since 2012, previously said of their close bond, ‘From day one, when I joined the show, Amanda and I sat down together and we made a pact that we would have each other’s backs and stick together,’ adding, ‘We speak all the time, it’s a very natural friendship.’
And the demise of Alesha’s romance has only brought them closer. ‘Alesha says that ironically, the breakdown of her relationship has further strengthened her friendship with Amanda, and made them closer than ever – with her citing the fellow mum-of-two as one of her best mates,’ the insider says.
They add that Alesha – who had a short-lived marriage to rapper MC Harvey in 2005– is now hopeful she could meet someone new thanks to her BGT BFF.
They say, ‘There have been some dark moments where Alesha has doubted whether she’d ever meet anyone else again, but thanks to Amanda’s support, she’s now in a place where she feels excited about the future and the prospect of finding happiness again.’