Samantha Womack: I speak to my ex two or three times a day

Former ‘EastEnders’ star Samantha Womack is “proud” that she is able to speak to her ex-husband “two or three times a day”.

The 49-year-old actress split from Emmerdale’s Mark Womack, 61, back in 2020. They had been married since 2009, after being a couple for 10 years prior.

Samantha and Mark share 21-year-old son Benjamin and 17-year-old daughter Lili-Rose together and have remained close friends even though they have each moved on romantically, and she insists it is something that she makes her happy to know the pair could enjoy a different type of relationship after their romance had fizzled out.

In an interview with Women’s Weekly magazine, she said: “Mark and I raised a family really well, so we agreed that we didn’t mind separating in terms of a traditional marriage, but actually I would really have suffered if we hadn’t maintained a friendship, because that was part of my life for 20 years.

“We speak to each other two or three times a day, Mark will say, ‘Can I pop round next week – can you have the two Chihuahuas?’ and I’ll say, 'Yeah, but can you have the cat next week?'"

Samantha is currently dating ‘Coronation Street’ actor Oliver Farnworth, 39, and lives together with him in Spain, after relocating to Valencia at the start of the year. She says Oliver gets on with Mark and has a great relationship with their two kids, and they are a great example of a modern "blended family".

She said: “We’re all actors and the kids are in full-time education, it’s a bit manic, so actually we really do need each other.

“Mark and Ollie are really friendly and the kids love having all of us; we’re a blended family. I’ve been parenting Mark’s son Michael since the age of four, so he comes down sometimes with his partner.

“We’ve worked hard at remaining friends and I’m proud of it. I Know for some people that’s not possible when the breakup is just too painful, but we were able to do it and I’m really grateful.”