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James Norton has said he is ‘crazily grateful for the pain’ of his split from Imogen Poots.
The actor, now 39, got engaged to the 28 Weeks Later actress, 36, in 2022 after four years together, but they split in 2023.
The Little Women star now views Imogen’s decision to end their relationship as a ‘gift’.
Speaking at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, which is currently in full swing, James told The Sun: ‘It was a gift in a weird, roundabout way.
‘She called it. She realised it wasn’t working – I’m crazily grateful for the pain she caused me.’
James – who is now believed to be dating Lily Allen, 40, after they were pictured at the Lido festival on June 14, admitted the split was a ‘massive’ moment in his life because he thought he and Imogen were going to raise a family together.
James Norton, 39, has said that he is ‘crazily grateful’ for the ‘pain’ of his split from Imogen Poots, 36 – the actor got engaged to the 28 Weeks Later actress in 2022 after four years together, but they split in 2023 , (pictured that same year)
James is now believed to be dating Lily Allen , 40, after they were pictured on a first fate at the Lido festival on June 14
The Little Women star (L) now views Imogen’s decision to end their relationship as a ‘gift’
He said: ‘I got broken up with and it was massive. I thought I was going to have kids. The life I thought I was going to have disappeared at 38.’
The Happy Valley actor previously insisted he hasn’t given up hope of having a family, despite the end of his engagement.
He told The Sunday Times: ‘Getting older is a struggle if you are freaking out about the choices you’ve made, but I don’t carry regret.
‘And, you know, some of the choices recently weren’t mine, yet I don’t feel begrudging. Maybe next year I’ll have a family and a relationship …
‘You have a certain amount of control over your life and choices you make, and at other times you don’t.
‘But if you made those choices or not, it’s a shame to spend time agonising over either.’
News of James’s reported new relationship comes after Lily’s own painful breakup from Stranger Things star David Harbour, 50, earlier this year
Meanwhile James is said to have split from model girlfriend Charlotte Rose Smith (pictured) last month and was also spotted back on the exclusive dating site.
And despite his desire to have children, James doesn’t think it would have been ‘fair’ for him to start a family in recent years.
He said: ‘I don’t sit on set where I’m playing a dad and feel sad and broody.
‘I love hanging out with kids – most of my friends have kids so I’m not quite in step with my peers – but the past few years have been the busiest I’ve been, so it would not have been fair to bring a child into that.
‘Also, the inherently unfair benefit of being a man is there is less rush. I am lucky I can have kids later, so now I’m happy, actually, with my life. I feel really excited by the choices I’ve made.’
News of James’s reported new relationship comes after Lily’s own painful breakup from Stranger Things star David Harbour, 50.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2022, are reported to have split in February after alleged infidelity from David.
