Rylan Clark: what did TV presenter say about divorce from husband Dan Neal - and how long were they married?

In mid-2021, it was announced that Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two host Rylan Clark had split from husband of six years Dan Neal.

Speaking about his in a new interview divorce, Clark revealed that he had become “dangerously thin” and “mentally unwell” following the breakup.

What did Rylan Clark say about his divorce?

Speaking to the Sun, Clark revealed that following the split from his husband of six years, Dan Neal, he became seriously underweight.

He said: “I got ill and I lost weight, I went down to under 10 stone - and I’m six feet four inches, so that’s not good.

“The honest truth is that it’s been s**t.

“I didn’t deal with what happened and now I am. I felt unwell and it was a very difficult time for me.”

Clark said that he coped by spending a lot of time with his mother, Linda, who he described as “a lifesaver”.

He said: “My mum was majorly worried about me, as were all my family.

“I don’t just disappear for four months - that doesn’t just happen.

“Mum has been a lifesaver to me and one of my biggest regrets of this year was putting my mum through me not being well.

“I needed to get back to me.”

How did he get healthy again?

When Clark returned to his hosting duties on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, he said that he wanted to get healthy.

Clark signed up to a workout programme called The Six Pack Revolution, which is a 75-day plan which he worked on during personal training sessions.

He said: “When I started feeling more myself I wanted to feel more confident in my body.

“My brother recommended [personal trainer Scott Harrison] and we became best friends. It’s been amazing. This isn’t the end goal - it’s just phase one.

“Getting fit and looking after my body saved me. Fitness has given me a goal.”

Who is his ex-husband Dan Neal?

Dan Neal is a former policeman who, according to reports, worked on Operation Yewtree - an investigation launched in 2012 into the sexual abuse allegations against Jimmy Savile. As the investigation continued, other high profile British figures were arrested as well.

The Operation Yewtree website states “some have been tried and convicted, some have been tried and acquitted, some are awaiting trial and some have been subject of no further action” and lists Gary Glitter, Rolf Harris, Freddy Starr, Max Clifford and David Smith as others who found themselves subject to investigation under Operation Yewtree.

Neal is best known for his appearance on Big Brother in 2013, and was evicted on week six. That same year, Clark won Celebrity Big Brother, and the two met when Clark interviewed Neal on the Big Brother spin-off Big Brother’s Bit on the Side following Neal’s elimination from the house.

Neal proposed to Clark during a trip to Paris in 2014, and the two were married in November 2015 during a small ceremony.

The following year, Clark and Neal made television history as they were the first gay couple to host This Morning, with the two stepping in for Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes.

Clark confirmed their split in a statement to the Sun in June 2021, which said: “Following reports about Dan and I spending time apart, I feel I have to speak out - as the way it is being reported is unfair.

“I have made a number of mistakes which I deeply regret and have inevitably led to the breakdown of our marriage.

“I have taken time away from work as I am not in a good palace at the moment and am seeking help.”

Clark and Neal’s divorce is still ongoing and has not yet been finalised.

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