Lisa Armstrong, who is divorced from Ant McPartlin, is reportedly very happy with her new actor boyfriend. Sources say he cherishes her and makes her feel special, a welcome change after years of feeling overlooked in previous relationships.
The Daily Mail reported in December that 49-year-old make-up artist is dating actor Grant Kilburn, 34. They’ve been seeing each other quietly for a few weeks and seem to be falling in love.
Lisa, the creative director behind the dazzling look of Strictly Come Dancing, first encountered Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton when she attended a performance of their play at the Theatre Royal in Brighton in early October.
Lisa seems much happier and more confident now that she’s in a new relationship. People close to her say she’s finally putting the past behind her and feeling energized.
According to a source speaking to The Mirror, she’s become accustomed to being in relationships where she wasn’t the priority.
She’s finally found success and is enjoying being on top. She’s proceeding cautiously in her new relationship, wanting to avoid past heartbreak, but her partner is showering her with attention and affection, making her feel incredibly special.
He completely centers his life around her and constantly expresses how much he loves her. He’s incredibly proud of her success and growth in her career, and has always supported her.
Daily Mail has contacted Lisa’s representative for comment.
The Daily Mail reported in December that Grant and Lisa connected quickly after being set up by Stacey and Kevin Clifton after one of their shows.
Stacey and Kevin, parents to a two-year-old daughter, are both performing in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story. The play has been touring the UK since August 2025, and they’re working alongside fellow actor Grant.
People close to the couple said they introduced Lisa to Grant after the show. Grant is 34 years old, which makes him 15 years younger than Lisa.
According to a source, Lisa and Grant are getting along really well, and Lisa seems much happier because of it.
Their relationship is new, and they’re currently trying to keep it private. Lisa recently experienced a difficult and very public breakup, and while she’s understandably cautious about getting hurt again, she’s focusing on enjoying things as they are right now.
Grant and Lisa are simply happy to be spending time together. Although Grant lives in Kent, he’s been visiting Lisa whenever his schedule allows. Both have been quite occupied lately – Lisa with her commitments to Strictly, and Grant with a national tour.
‘At the moment they are taking it one day at a time but it’s great to see her happy again.’
Despite continued success in her career, Lisa has faced personal difficulties and emotional pain since her difficult breakup with Ant in 2018. Ant is well-known as one half of the popular presenting duo with Dec Donnelly.
Oh my gosh, can you believe it? In 2023, she and James – he was an electrician for Sky, a really sweet guy, 42 years old – they actually broke up! It was so sad, he had to move out of her house. I was totally heartbroken for them both, but mostly for her, obviously!
The same year she finalized her divorce, a fire caused extensive damage to her £5 million home in Chiswick.
The Daily Mail reports that Grant has also faced challenges in his life. After graduating from Mountview, a top UK drama school, in 2013, the ‘confident, outgoing, and athletic’ actor started landing roles.
Oh my gosh, listening to him talk about it just gives me chills! He described it like everything was perfect, like he could conquer anything. He actually said he felt like the whole world was his for the taking, and honestly, I totally get it! It just sounded… magical, like nothing could possibly go wrong. I wish I’d been there to see it!
The following April, disaster struck when 23-year-old Grant collapsed during a shopping trip with his brother and was found to have suffered a stroke.
Let me tell you, I recently came across a really powerful interview from 2023. This person shared something incredibly vulnerable – they genuinely believed they were facing the end of their life. They described being in the hospital, surrounded by all the usual commotion, and having a moment where they truly felt ready to accept what was happening and say goodbye. It was a really honest and moving account.
Later that day, Grant had a CT scan that showed two large blood clots at the base of his brain.
He explained that he was shocked to experience a stroke, as he always believed they only happened to people who weren’t in good health, or were older. He was deeply frightened by what had occurred.
Grant carried that fear with him for years, and it took nearly ten years for him to rebuild his life to the point he desired.
He explained that he struggled with depression and anxiety, which significantly impacted his life. Panic attacks were particularly difficult, and he lived in constant fear of having another stroke whenever he felt dizzy or lightheaded.
With help from professionals, Grant gained a clearer understanding of his experiences and was able to manage much of his fear.
Since then, he’s worked to promote the Stroke Association and has visited prisons like Belmarsh, Pentonville, and Thameside. He does this to encourage men to open up about their mental health and struggles with depression.
Friends have told how Lisa herself has battled to overcome dark times after her split from Ant.
They’ve been a couple since they were teenagers, and their relationship has lasted over 23 years.
Lisa first encountered Ant in 1994 while both were performing on a Smash Hits tour in Newcastle. Lisa was playing with her band, Deuce, and Ant, with his partner Dec, was gaining popularity as PJ & Duncan after previously appearing on the TV show Byker Grove.
They were together for more than 10 years before Ant proposed to Lisa on holiday in Dubai in 2005.
Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE how incredible their wedding was! They completely went all out – spent a whopping £150,000 on the reception at Cliveden House, it was absolutely magical! And the sweetest part? Dec was Ant’s best man, seriously, it was the perfect day and I was SO jealous I couldn’t be there!
Ant and Dec became Britain’s most popular television pair during their marriage, but they also faced challenges along the way.
In 2013, Ant McPartlin revealed that he and Lisa Armstrong were having difficulty getting pregnant. He told Radio Times, ‘We really want to have children, and we’re trying, but it’s harder than people realize as you get older.’
He also shared with Fabulous Magazine that he feels fortunate. He explained that his wife, Lisa, works in the same industry and truly understands its demands. In fact, he joked that she often works even more than he does!
We’re hoping to start a family soon, and we’d be incredibly happy if we have children!
In 2017, Ant faced further difficulties when he entered rehab to address problems with alcohol and prescription drugs.
He acknowledged he was struggling and expressed his regret, saying he felt he had disappointed many people and sincerely apologized.
In an interview, he admitted he’d been very difficult for Lisa, causing her a lot of pain with his unpredictable moods and struggles with depression. He also spoke highly of her, calling her ‘fantastic’ for sticking with him.
I first started hearing whispers in the fall of 2017 that things weren’t going well with Ant and Lisa. It really hit home when Lisa didn’t join Ant in Australia for ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’ – that’s when I suspected something was seriously wrong.
She insisted everything was fine, explaining that she was employed and hadn’t visited Australia in years.
In January 2018, a representative for Ant announced that he and his wife were divorcing after 12 years of marriage.
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2026-01-17 15:21