Martin Freeman has openly shared that he’s experienced feelings of loneliness even while in relationships, something he found difficult to understand.
As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about relationships, I’ve learned that feeling truly alone, even while you’re with someone, is a huge red flag. I recently heard an actor from ‘The Hobbit’ talk about this, and it really resonated with me. He shared that when he started feeling isolated within his relationship, it was a clear sign things weren’t right. It’s so important to pay attention to those feelings of disconnect – they’re telling you something needs attention.
He explained on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast that feeling consistently lonely or disconnected within a relationship – especially when you can’t quite put your finger on why or find it hard to discuss with your partner – is a sign that something isn’t right.
The actor, best known for his role in the British comedy The Office, separated from his partner of 16 years, Amanda Abbington, who is 51, back in 2016.
They first met while filming the 2000 movie Men Only and went on to act together in several projects, including The Debt, The Robinsons, and famously, Sherlock, where she played his love interest.
The couple, who never married, share son Joe, 19, and daughter Grace, 17.
Amanda has revealed that Martin’s long periods away filming The Hobbit trilogy in New Zealand – sometimes lasting up to four months – played a part in their split. She explained that several issues arose over the past two years, ultimately proving to be the final blow to their relationship.
During the podcast, Martin, who generally keeps to himself, explained that he thinks a lot of people hide their concerns about their relationships because they feel overly loyal, which stops them from dealing with issues.
He explained that we often make things more difficult for ourselves by believing that even questioning our relationships or how things are is wrong or off-limits. We tell ourselves, ‘I shouldn’t even be thinking about this.’
The actor from Love Actually, who has been dating French actress Rachel Benaissa, 31, since 2020, also said that some level of discomfort is normal in any romantic relationship.
He explained that it’s normal to have difficult emotions, thoughts, and memories, and reminded himself that his partner might be experiencing similar challenges in the relationship.
He continued, ‘It’s easy to forget that, too. I forget it myself, and I’m an adult. I realize that everything I’m feeling, she’s feeling it too. She has a whole inner world, and I’m not actually inside it.’
He and his ex-wife, Amanda, who used to be on Strictly Come Dancing, have a friendly and cooperative relationship when it comes to raising their children since they separated.
The actress shared in a 2019 interview that their breakup was remarkably amicable. She explained they parted ways with a lot of respect, saying, ‘We still care about each other deeply, even though we’re not romantically involved anymore.’
Martin’s partner, Rachel, is an actress who has been in the BBC shows Normal People and This Way Up. She’s quickly become close with Martin’s kids.
She recently attended the London premiere of ‘Seven Dials’ with the cast, a new Agatha Christie adaptation starring Martin alongside Helen Bonham Carter and Mia McKenna-Bruce.
The couple also work together, having started their own production company, One Trick Poné, last April. They are currently developing several film projects through the company.
Amanda and Jonathan Goodwin, a former Britain’s Got Talent contestant known for his daring escapes, became engaged in 2021 after a quick romance.
Jonathan and his partner first met on X, formerly known as Twitter, in 2012. Remarkably, he proposed just half an hour after they met in person for the first time in Vienna.
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2026-01-24 15:19