Divorce Proceedings Are Officially Underway Between Nigella Lawson And Charles Saatchi

Art collector Charles Saatchi, 70, has announced that divorce proceedings have officially begun between him and celebrity chef Nigella Lawson. The decision isn’t an unexpected one, in light of the disturbing photos, which surfaced four weeks ago of a row in public, during which Saatchi was seen grabbing Miss Lawson’s throat. He has since made several attempts at defending himself against accusations of marital violence. However, Saatchi holds the position that he made the decision to divorce Lawson, because of her lack of support.

The marriage has been going sour for the past year, says Saatchi.

"I am sorry to announce that Nigella Lawson and I are getting divorced,” he told the Mail on Sunday. "I feel that I have clearly been a disappointment to Nigella during the last year or so, and I am disappointed that she was advised to make no public comment to explain that I abhor violence of any kind against women, and have never abused her physically in any way."

Lawson has since moved out of the home she shared with Saatchi.

According to the paper, the two have not spoken since the incident and Ms Lawson has moved out of the couple’s home to an apartment at a private members club in Mayfair. Since the incident, Mr Saatchi has been vehement about his claim that the pictures which started the scandal, did not, in fact, depict an abusive relationship: The row photographed at Scott’s restaurant could equally have been Nigella grasping my neck to hold my attention – as indeed she has done in the past."

Despite accepting a caution for assault, the tycoon claims that what appeared in the pictureto be him sticking his finger up his wife’s nostril, was in fact just Saatchi wiping her nose. He later voluntarily left with police and was taken to Charing Cross Station, however Saatchi claims that it was only to “avoid this hanging over all of us for months.”

Saatchi does not admit to having used violence on his wife.