Former Liverpool FC footballer Neil Ruddock and his ex-wife are embroiled in the latest leg of a 14-year family court money fight following the breakdown of their marriage.
Ruddock and Sarah Ruddock, who divorced more than a decade ago, were both at a private hearing overseen by a judge in the Central Family Court in London today.
District Judge Alun Jenkins allowed a journalist to attend the hearing, but he imposed limits on what could be reported.
The judge said Ruddock and his ex-wife, who still uses the name Mrs Ruddock, could be named in media reports.
But he said no detail of evidence discussed could be revealed.
Mrs Ruddock was the applicant in the case and Ruddock the respondent.
Ruddock, 51, was represented by a barrister.
Mrs Ruddock, 49, represented herself.
The case was listed by a number which indicated that the litigation began in 2005.
Ruddock, a central defender who won one England cap, played for clubs including Southampton, Tottenham, Liverpool and West Ham during a career spanning more than 12 years.
He took part in the 2019 series of the BBC's Celebrity MasterChef.
He recently lost weight after receiving major health warnings on I TV documentary Harry’s Heroes.
The 51-year-old was told he could die at any moment during the filming of the show.
The former footballer turned TV star had doubled his body weight from 12 and a half to 25 stone after adopting a junk food diet when his playing days ended.
Since filming for the recent series of Celebrity MasterChef, he's gone from XXXXL to XXL, trimmed his waist from 48 inches to 44 inches and reduced his jacket size from a 56L to a 52L.
