Fats yer lot, Ricky

[Perdita]

SHATTERED Strictly Come Dancing star Ricky Groves was in tears - and on the beers - last night after being DITCHED by his newly-slimline missus.

Actor Ricky was thrilled with wife Hannah Waterman's waif-like figure after she sensationally lost 3st.

Teeny weeny in a bikini ... new-look Hannah Waterman
Teeny weeny in a bikini ... new-look Hannah Waterman

But he was devastated on New Year's Day when she told him her new look had brought her added confidence plus loads of male attention - and that their three-year marriage was over.

Distraught Ricky, 41, then asked her to pack her bags and move out of the home they share near Huntingdon, Cambs.

One source said the actor, who played unlucky-in-love Garry Hobbs alongside Hannah in EastEnders, had spent the last few days sobbing over the break-up.

Big hit ... Hannah's DVD
Big hit ... Hannah's DVD

Onlookers at his local pub revealed he had been seeking solace over a few pints.
Stripping

One regular said: "Ricky's been boozing a lot more since Hannah walked out - I guess he's lonely.

"She just confessed to him one day that it was over. It was completely out of the blue for him, he thought they were happy.

"He said he's going to find it hard to move on. He loved her - no matter what size she was."

Hannah, daughter of Minder star Dennis, went from 10st 4lb to 7st 10lb in five months on a strict diet and exercise regime.

Co-stars ... Ricky and Hannah in EastEnders
Co-stars ... Ricky and Hannah in EastEnders

Her DVD Hannah Waterman's Body Blitz is flying off shelves.

And the 34-year-old New Tricks star, who played Laura Beale in EastEnders, is showing off her new look by stripping in West End theatre show Calendar Girls.

Ricky ALSO lost nearly 2st after his Strictly stint - falling from 14st 10lb to 13st.

He even told fellow TV contestants: "We're the incredible shrinking couple!"

But friends of the pair told of his marriage split misery last night.

One said: "Hannah looks amazing with her trim new figure and Ricky was hoping to show her off over the coming months.

"Since going from size 16 to size six, Hannah's been treating herself to lots of sexy lingerie and mini-skirts.

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"Ricky was delighted as any red-blooded man would be - but unfortunately Hannah seems to have a new-found confidence with her new figure.

"She's been turning heads and she knows it.

"It seems Ricky no longer fits into her life. She's enjoying looking sexy and wants to enjoy life as a single woman.

"Poor Ricky's absolutely gutted."

The pair last night confirmed the split - but blamed conflicting work schedules.

Ricky is on a Strictly Come Dancing tour and Hannah is to tour with Calendar Girls.

A spokesman said: "Ricky Groves and Hannah Waterman have announced today that after much consideration they have decided to formally separate.

"Both their careers have been hugely successful, but for most of last year their work has kept them apart."

Hannah added: "We would like to remain friends with respect for each other."

The pair got engaged in 2005 while EastEnders co-stars and married the following year.

From The Sun

[sindydoll]

saw her on this morning and she looks great

[lizann]

Poor Ricky

[Jojo]

Such a shame. When will people realise its not all about the way you look - its the way you act and your personality that counts too! You could be the best looking girl in the world, but if you are a b!tch - you have a LOT of work to do!

[Siobhan]

I am in 2 minds on this.. 1) she looks great and fair play to losing all that weight and 2) did she really have to dump him.. we don't know the full story here and maybe he didn't make her feel like she had achieve something great or maybe she decided "I'm slim, there is plenty more men out there for me" which tell me she was unhappy but settling for Ricky..

I hope she keeps this off and doesn't go back to her old ways like Natalie Cassidy did after her DVD workout video... I don't get these "celeb DVD".. at the end of the day, they have a personal trainer and nutrition coach so are more likely to succeed as they are constantly been motivated and watched... Can the exercise DVD alone help you lose weight without the diet coach???

[Jojo]

I think the thing is, no one is ever going to know the full story apart from Ricky and Hannah - they are the only two in that relationship and the only ones that truly know whats happened. If it was for the reasons described above, then very unfair, but there must be more to it than is known

[Dazzle]

I think the thing is, no one is ever going to know the full story apart from Ricky and Hannah

You're right. I initially thought "what a cow", but the split-up may have been very different to what's been reported in The Sun.

[Perdita]

I have witnessed this several times with friends and colleagues, one of them, usually the woman, got fit and then they separated. Hannah, I fear, will not stay the way she is, she lost the weight with a very strict diet and exercise regime, how is she going to cope if she falls ill or injures herself where she can't keep either up? I don't think she looks good either, she looks gaunt.

[Siobhan]

I have witnessed this several times with friends and colleagues, one of them, usually the woman, got fit and then they separated. Hannah, I fear, will not stay the way she is,

That is usually what happens but as said by JoJo and myself, we don't know the full story... It seem like Hannah is been a cow here saying "I'm thin bugger off" but there could be a number of reasons for this to happen. Maybe because she lost this weight, found this confidence but still Ricky treated her exactly the same she felt she was different.. maybe he asked her to get fat again.. we don't know!!

[Perdita]

I agree that we shall never know the real reason why they have separated, the people I know enjoyed more attention from the opposite sex after slimming down and then left their partners, but the slimming might have been just the catalyst. They might have split up anyway at some time. I wish them both well, no doubt the tabloids will let us know who is going to be comforted by whom in the near future.