EVERYTHING appeared picture perfect from the outside – the star-studded wedding, the gorgeous kids and telly roles that would make any actor envious.
But Tom Ellis and Tamzin Outhwaite‘s dream life came crashing down after the EastEnders actress was left “hurt and humiliated” by claims he had cheated on her while working in America – sparking years of torment and fury between the pair… until now.
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The once warring exes are finally on speaking terms and now, we can reveal what led them to reconcile after all this time – and it’s not just that time’s a healer.
Pals say their toxic past has well and truly been buried after an unexpected move from Tamzin, 54, who has spent the last 12 months nursing a broken heart following her split from boyfriend Tom Child, 34, after six years.
Last week the EastEnders star appeared to extend an olive branch to her other ex Tom, 46, by posting a picture from the premiere of his latest film – The Thursday Murder Club – as he posed alongside their two children.
Many were left wondering what led Tamzin to make such a public move after all this time – and we can reveal it’s actually down to toyboy Tom.
Tamzin and toyboy Tom have once again grown close – the pair have been spending time together alone and with her wider family, with insiders telling us: “The spark is very much still there.”
And it’s made a huge difference in how she’s been navigating life with her other ex – Tom Ellis, 46, who recently described their marriage as a ‘hardship’.
Our insider revealed: “After years of dating Tom, after Tom, Tamzin has been enjoying a few months of calm and time out to focus on herself.
“She’s been really happy just doing her thing – she’s in a new play and was filming a new show recently, she’s been travelling lots, attending wellness retreats and spending more time having fun with her girlfriends.
“She needed to be alone for a while but recently she has been enjoying quality time with Tom (the ex boyfriend) again. They remained close since they split and have become even closer again – Tom still believes he is her soulmate.”
They source continued: “He is always by her side whenever she needs him and he is still the guest of honour at her family home – they share their dog Bowie and Tom is the perfect dog dad, and he remains extremely close to her kids, recently they celebrated Marnie’s birthday together at Thorpe Park.
“Nobody was surprised when they noticed he was back on the scene – he’s the perfect match for Tam.”
Tamzin and Tom, who she fiercely defended dating despite their 20 year age gap, called it quits in September of last year and at the time she insisted she was still best mates with him – and praised him for supporting her children.
The former couple’s seven-year marriage ended in 2014 after Tom allegedly confessed to cheating with American actress Emilie de Ravin in 2013.
He moved out of the house he shared with the star in 2014 weeks after coming clean.
Tamzin alluded to the fact that there was more to the story not long after, saying : “I wouldn’t not be with my husband over a one-night stand is all I’ll say.”
Ten years on from her heartbreak and Tamzin was still incredibly hurt. In a post she shared in 2023, but deleted shortly afterwards, she told her followers: “Ten years since the father of my kids walked out on us for the final time. I still meet new people on jobs who reveal more infidelities and lies that he committed.
“But thankfully my heart and soul are clear and clean and I could not be happier right now.”
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There has however been a notable shift in her feelings about it recently and posting a picture that included Tom was a huge turning point for the pair, with pals telling us: “Having toyboy Tom close again made it easier for Tam to be happier for her ex husband Tom too.
“Tam has essentially reached a place of emotional reconciliation. She has now healed and also accepted what happened with ex husband Tom and that enabled her to forgive him for everything and it just shows what a remarkable woman she is.
“Not many women would be able to get through what she has or possibly imagine forgiving their cheating husbands, but Tam firmly believes it’s the only way to heal her broken heart and move on.”
The former couple’s co-parenting journey is also said to have contributed to them reaching stalemate.
They share two children Flo, 17 and Marnie, 12, and earlier this year, Tamzin revealed her eldest child is transgender, after coming out when they were “about 10 or 11”.
She said: “I’ve got two kids. I did have two daughters and now I have a son and a daughter.
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“That’s quite easy for me to say now, but it wasn’t maybe six or seven years ago.”
Our insider continued: “They have also been through a lot – much more than just his cheating which kind of paled in comparison to the journey they have been on with Flo. Tom dealt with it very well and was a huge support.
“And then he became a dad again to Dolly, one, with his new wife (screenwriter Meaghan Oppenheimer, 39). So there has been much more going on – tough times and happy times and everything in between. Life moved on!
“Her and ex husband Tom will never be best friends but they do chat these days, they are co-parenting as best as can be and she was extremely proud of him when he landed the Netflix show and took their children to his premiere.
“Years have passed and they have both grown and healed so much, the past is more or less water under the bridge now. They are co-parenting very well.”
Tom, best known for playing Gary in BBC comedy Miranda, is thought to have cheated on Tamzin when he moved to America to star as Robin Hood in fantasy drama Once Upon A Time in 2013.
After Tom allegedly confessed to the infidelity to Tamzin, the pair, who married in 2006, got divorced.
Tom went on to get engaged to American actress Meaghan, who he has daughter Dolly with, and recently said of their meeting: “I met Meaghan at a time when it was impossible to hide my imperfections, and I was in a place where I was open to talk about my faults.
“Life hadn’t gone how I thought it would. I was out of a marriage that didn’t work, and I think you learn a lot through that process, out of that hardship, I was a stronger, resilient person.”
The actor – who played the devil incarnate Lucifer – in the hit series opened up about his past behaviour for the first time last week.
He said: “It’s easy to say you regret things, but actually no, I don’t regret anything.
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“Every time I made a choice, or decided something, that’s how I was feeling at the time, I wasn’t pretending. I went into everything with great intentions.”
He then opened up on the breakdown of his partnership with the BBC actress and told the How To Fail podcast: “Life hadn’t gone how I thought it would.
“I was out of a marriage that didn’t work, and I think you learn a lot through that process.
“Out of that hardship, I was a stronger, resilient person.”
He’s not the only one who is stronger and more resilient – most exes would run a mile over such comments. He’s lucky to have Tamzin on side.
Tamzin’s rep has been contacted for comment.
