After a "rough patch," EastEnders actress Lucy Benjamin "splits" from her husband of 17 years.

According to reports, renowned EastEnders actress Lucy Benjamin and her husband of 17 years have divorced due to a “rough” time.

After 17 years of marriage, Lucy Benjamin, who portrayed Lisa Fowler in the BBC drama EastEnders, and her husband Richard Taggart are apparently no longer together.

The pair, who have two daughters together, apparently went through a “rough” period before deciding to end their marriage despite their best attempts.

According to a source, Lucy and Richard tried to make things work but ultimately decided it would be best for them to part ways.

“Though recent months have been difficult for them both, hopefully they can now begin to look forward to the future.

“Their children will always be their number one priority,” they stated to The Sun.

Express.co.uk has gotten in touch with Lucy’s agent for a response.

Richard, 53, and 53-year-old Lucy met while traveling to Dubai in 2005; they got engaged six weeks later.

Their daughter Bessie, now 16 years old, was born to them shortly after they got married in 2006.

Lucy’s pregnancy was famously unintentionally made public by Sharon Osbourne during a live show of The X Factor: Battle of the Stars, which Lucy would later win.

Four years later, Lucy and Richard welcomed Rosie, who is now 12 years old, as their second child.

I’m a Celeb, Get Me Out of Here! Previously about their “whirlwind” romance, actress said to Woman and Home in 2016: “He was seated next to me and while I was reading a book.

“He gave me a touch on the shoulder and said, ‘This may be unusual for you since I know a lot about you and you don’t know anything about me, but my name is Richard and I’m heading to Dubai,’ but he also introduced himself as Richard.

Fortunately, I thought it was hilarious, and our conversation continued. Within six weeks, we got engaged, and we were married nine months later.

In 2019, she continued, “It’s quite romantic and people are always impressed by that story.”

Before she met Richard, Lucy dated her EastEnders co-star Steve McFadden for nine years, from 1999 to 2003.

When she briefly repeated her role as Lisa in 2017, she was reunited with the actor who played Phil Mitchell.

On Loose Women at the time, Lucy remarked on working together once more: “It was bizarre really, but within 10 minutes it was like I’d never been away.

“It was like seeing old friends again, and I knew they would take care of me when I got back…It was more about Lisa and Phil’s past, and those tales kept coming up. In the past, I didn’t have to consider Steve and I.