Freddie Starr was still married at the time of his death despite his wife reportedly begging him for a divorce.
The comedian was found dead at his home in Spain yesterday aged 76 - four years after his split from wife Sophie Lea, who was 39 years his junior.
It has now been revealed that the pair were still legally married at the time Starr passed away as they had not gone through divorce proceedings.
Starr fled to Spain after the break-up and Mail Online reports Sophie's lawyers were trying to contact him to get the ball rolling on the divorce.
However, the publication claims Starr ignored her pleas and the pair remained husband and wife despite their estrangement.
Sophie, 37, previously accused her husband of abusing her as the relationship broke down.
She said he cracked under the pressure after he was caught up in Operation Yewtree as police probed over historic sex claims against him.
Freddie Starr’s doomed love life – behind the late comedian's FIVE failed marriages
In a post on her blog back in 2016, Sophie wrote: " After the Yewtree investigation had finished I honestly believed things would get better, call me foolish but when you’re in an abusive relationship hope is all you have.
"Things didn’t get better they got even worse, the abuse either physical, mental, emotional.. and just got worse.
"The effects of all the abuse had a dramatic impact on me.
"I tried to open up to him, telling him I was struggling and that I needed help especially with the self harm.
Freddie Starr - Police seen at Spanish flat where fallen comic was found dead as his body is removed
"Instead his reaction was one of anger, he punched me in the thigh and threw a pair of scissors at my head."
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.
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