Rylan Clark has said he has “no regrets” over his divorce from his husband of six years Dan Neal.
Clark tied the knot with former Big Brother contestant and ex-police officer Neal in 2015 after dating for two years. They announced their separation in 2021 and were divorced later that year.
In his 2022 memoirTen: The Decade That Changed My Future, the former It Takes Two host revealed that part of the reason for their breakup was his own infidelity.
The 37-year-old opened up about their divorce during an appearance on ITV’s The Assembly, in which celebrities are interviewed by a collective of autistic, neurodivergent, and learning-disabled journalists.
Asked whether honesty is always the best policy in the context of a relationship, Clark replied: “Oh wow. Yeah I think it is. I’m OK admitting when I’m in the wrong, because actually I don’t deal well with guilt, and I don’t deal well with secrets.
“It made me so ill, and it sounds a terrible thing to say, but I’m glad it happened.”
“I never think about him [Neal],” he continued. “I miss feeling like I’ve got it all. I thought I had life done. I’ve got the job, I’ve got the family, I’ve got the marriage, I’ve got the car, I’ve got the house. I thought I had it sussed. I didn’t have anything sussed. I didn’t know what was a real relationship.”
Despite the fall-out from their divorce, Clark insisted: “I can look back now and know that I don’t regret anything.”
Clark has previously been candid about the health issues that arose from the divorce, stating that his body “completely shut down”, culminating in two heart failures.
“I wouldn’t eat,” he said. “I went through a stage where I couldn’t even talk, which for some people might be quite handy. My speech was just slurred. My mum thought I was having a stroke. My body just went. I went down to nine stone and I am six-foot-four.”
Asked on The Assembly how he coped, Clark told the journalists: “Not well. When my marriage ended, you know that term when someone says to pull the rug from under you. Yeah, that’s the only way I can describe it.
“It’s like someone went like that and I just fell over and I couldn’t get back up, like I broke both my arms and legs.”
He also revealed that he went home to live with his mum during that time to get away from the “memories” in the home that he had shared with Neal.
Clark’s episode of The Assembly will air on ITV1 and ITVX at 10pm on Sunday 24 May.
More recently, Clark was left disappointed after Strictly Come Dancing revealed its new presenting line-up for the 2026 season, which did not include him. Former professional dancer Johannes Radebe, comedian Josh Widdicome, and presenter Emma Willis will be taking over from Claudia Winkelman and Tess Daly.
Clark took the news on the chin, however, jokingly sharing a video of himself crying on Instagram in response. The clip was taken from his 2012 appearance on The X Factor.
“Just wanted to say as it was reported I was in ‘the race’ for strictly, the biggest congrats to my Emma and equal congrats to Johannes and Josh. You’re all going to have the best time. Made up for yous,” he wrote.
“This wasn’t my time sadly but am extremely grateful to even have been considered. I’m taking the news really well (see next slide) but genuinely looking forward to the new series with you three.”
Strictly will return to the BBC in autumn 2026, kicking off with the launch show, which traditionally airs in mid-to-late September.
