Freddie Starr 's estranged wife says she has forgiven him for their "hellish" marriage hell' and is devastated by his death.
Sophie Lea, 37, split from Starr in 2015 but was still married to him at the time of his death as they'd not gone through divorce proceedings.
She's now spoken out for the first time since he was found dead in Spain on Thursday, insisting she's "devastated" by the shock news.
After the marriage broke down, Sophie accused Starr of physical and verbal abuse, but she says their problems are now just "water under the bridge".
Sophie, who was 39 years younger than her husband, told Mail Online : "Although we broke up a long time ago I was devastated to hear the news of Freddie's death.
Freddie Starr's first wife brands him 'terrible husband' who she 'lost to fame'
"We hadn't spoken for a long time despite still being legally married after he moved to Spain.
"Although we had our differences that's all water under the bridge now."
In a post on her blog in 2016, Sophie claimed Freddie flew into rages and once chucked a pair of scissors at her head.
Speaking in an interview that same year, she said the marriage was turbulent: "Freddie would fly off in rages and take it all out on me daily.
Freddie Starr still married at time of death despite wife's 'pleas for divorce'
"He started to give me constant verbal abuse, telling me that I was useless and things like that.
"Our marriage was hell.
"On one occasion I was left with a black eye."
When he was asked about the allegations back in 2016, Starr said: "I deny ever verbally or physically abusing her.
"I deny that completely."
Sophie met Starr in 2010 while she was working as a singer on his live stage tour, and she later got together with the comedian after her previous marriage broke down.
They married in 2013.
Starr was married five times, including twice to the same woman, Donna, the mother of his daughter Ebony.
