Ashley Jensen has finally confirmed her relationship with fellow actor Kenny Doughty after years of speculation.
The Shetland actress, 54, attended the Scottish BAFTA Awards with Kenny last night (Sunday, November 19) and debuted a rather beautiful diamond ring…
The award ceremony came just days after the pair are said to have ‘secretly married’. Here’s everything you need to know about their relationship, how they met, and what happened to Ashley’s first husband.
Who is Ashley Jensen’s husband Kenny Doughty?
Ashley Jensen is now married to actor Kenny Doughty after several years of dating. Although the pair had not previously confirmed their relationship publicly, eagle-eyed nosy-parkers (staff at ED!) noticed that they kept on being photographed together. The pair were first spotted looking cosy in 2021.
Vera star Kenny, 48, was seen dining out with his former Love, Lies and Records co-star Ashley in Bath, close to the actress’ home at the time.
According to witnesses, Kenny and the Extras actress were openly affectionate and walked along “giggling and holding hands”. A source told The Sun newspaper: “They make a lovely couple, and all their friends are absolutely delighted for them. Ashley is both a wonderful actress and person – and she deserves this second chance at happiness.”
Since then, the pair have been spotted many more times together. The pair appeared to go public earlier this year when they attended a red carpet event together. The duo arrived at the Radio Times Covers Party in January, and were more than happy to be photographed beside each other.
However it’s now 100% official. Ashley appeared on The Graham Norton Show this month sporting what appeared to be a large diamond engagement ring. Just days later, she showed off the ring again as she attended the Scottish BAFTA Awards in Glasgow. She and Kenny held hands throughout and looked blissfully happy.
The Mail Online reports that the pair secretly tied the knot in a ‘super fun and emotional’ ceremony in front of a close group of family and friends in Bath recently. The pair were joined by Ashley’s son Francis, 14, from her marriage to late husband Terence Beesley.
When did Ashley Jensen and Kenny Doughty meet?
Of course, TV fans will know that the actors co-starred together in the BBC One drama, Love, Lies and Records, which first aired in 2017.
The series followed the busy life of Leeds-based registrar Kate Dickenson. Ashley starred as Kate in the series, while Kenny played her colleague and love interest, Rick Severs.
The pair got on well on set, but it’s not known whether the pair knew each other before filming. The same year the show aired, Ashley’s husband tragically died.
What happened to Ashley Jensen’s husband Terence Beesley?
Ashley Jensen’s first husband was actor Terence Beesley. They met in 1999 while working on a stage production of King Lear, and married in 2007, and had one child together.
But tragically, he was deceased 10 years later. In November 2017, Ashley found her husband Terence dead in the garage of their house in Camerton near Bath. The actor was 60 at the time, and had starred in ITV’s Victoria, BBC One’s War And Peace, The Bill and EastEnders.
Paramedics tried to revive the actor but he was pronounced dead at the scene. An inquest later found he had taken his own life, and died from carbon monoxide poisoning. At the time, Ashley revealed she had last spoken to him via text message and email on the afternoon of his death.
She went on to say: “I was extremely shocked by what happened. I will never forget it. Terry and I had been together for 18 years but I had no idea he was capable of what he did.”
Their son was eight at the time. Terence left an estate worth £400,000, which passed to his wife in absence of a will.
Who is Kenny Doughty’s first wife?
Kenny Doughty was previously married to actress and screenwriter Caroline Carver. They separated in 2017, the same year Kenny starred in Love, Lies and Records opposite Ashley.
Caroline is an English actress, screenwriter, and producer. She played the young adult Hattie in the film Tom’s Midnight Garden in 1999, and has appeared in the likes of Sharpe’s Peril, Spooks, Jonathan Creek and Rosemary & Thyme. She won a Royal Television Society Best Actress Award for her performance in The Scarlet Pimpernel series, opposite Richard E. Grant.
On stage, in 2013 she played the role of Mandy in The Full Monty on tour. She wrote and produced the award-winning short film You Me and Captain Longbridge, and has also written episodes of The Bay, and Silent Witness.
Read more: Ashley Jensen was abandoned as a baby by her dad and has ‘a secret sister’ she hasn’t met
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