Like many of us, Lisa Armstrong is no stranger to some new year self-reflection. But while the TV make-up artist has often put a focus on her love life as January rolls around, we’re told that this year, she’s focusing all her attention on herself and her own health and happiness, without a man.
‘Right now, Lisa doesn’t feel like her best self,’ says an insider close to the 48 year old, who split from her electrician boyfriend James Green 16 months ago, and has spent the past three months working tirelessly backstage during another non-stop season as head of make-up at Strictly Come Dancing.
‘It’s been really tough with all the pressure that’s been on Strictly Come Dancing, and she threw herself into work after splitting with James, so it really has been quite the ordeal for her. She’s confessed to pals that she’s feeling sluggish, letting everything pile up on top of her, and she wants to get back to feeling lighter and brighter. She’s not going to punish herself with a strict detox, and it’s not necessarily about losing weight or having some kind of aesthetic transformation. She’s looking for something a lot deeper than that.’
By all accounts, it’s been a challenging few years for Lisa, who’s never shied away from airing her frustrations on social media. It’s been six years since she split from Ant McPartlin after two decades together and 11 years of marriage – but that was only the beginning of her turmoil, as the former couple became embroiled in a bitter war over finances and custody of their beloved Labrador Hurley. Things were finally settled peacefully, but Ant rubbed salt into wounds when he got together with their former PA Anne-Marie Corbett shortly after they split – something Lisa claimed she only found out about when the pair’s romance hit the headlines.
Lisa, for her part, has been determined to move on in life – but it didn’t help seeing Ant and Anne-Marie get married in 2021, and welcome their first child, son Wilder, earlier this year. As insiders reported, it stung even more considering all the scrutiny and speculation as to why she and Ant had never had children. Still, after meeting James in 2020, Lisa seemed loved-up again – until their bitter break-up in August 2023. As heat told you at the time, things turned acrimonious after James reportedly refused to pay back a £100k loan she’d given him during their time together. Lisa lashed out at reports that she was taking him to court, but – whatever financial agreement they reached – their break-up was the last thing she needed, following all the stress she faced amid the breakdown of her and Ant’s marriage.
Lisa’s since poured all her energy into her work, but with so much added scrutiny on Strictly this year – as the show faced accusations of bullying and abuse, a claim the BBC took seriously and investigated fully – the pressure has apparently reached an all-time high. We’re told that now Strictly is done for another year, Lisa’s taking stock of what she really needs moving forwards. And it’s less about finding men, more about finding zen.
‘She’s told her mates that she wants to get herself sorted, and try and put a spring back in her step,’ says our source.
‘Initially, she thought that, after her traumatic divorce, finding a new romance would heal everything. But after splitting with James, she found herself back at square one. There’s been a lot of stumbling blocks, and it’s not been easy – especially seeing Ant move on with Anne-Marie, start a family, and appear so blissfully happy in all the pap shots .But Lisa is determined to not feel bitter. She really wants to move on and grow as a person. So, when it comes to the new year, she’s vowed to make a lot of realistic resolutions that focus on putting herself first, practising self-care, and doing some inner work with the help of some self-help books and podcasts.
‘She wants to find her zen and bounce back feeling stronger than ever.’