Martine praises the pal who hasn't 'picked a side'

After her "brutal” break-up, Martine McCutcheon enjoys a night out amid fears of losing friends

- Eve Macdonald

Parting ways after 12 years of marriage is never going to be easy - not only does it mean a future without your other half, but you also need to untangle an intertwined life that you've built together over the years. And Martine McCutcheon knows what that's like.

Although the former EastEnders star has remained tight-lipped on her recent split from husband Jack McManus, in a new Instagram post Martine hinted that she has lost people she considered friends in the wake of her marriage breakdown.

Three months on from their separation, Martine let her hair down on a girls' night out, admitting the outing was exactly what she needed after the turmoil. However, the 48-year-old who shares son Rafferty, nine, with Jack also revealed some mutual friends she shares with Jack have remained "silent" or have "picked a side".

Sharing a number of snaps from her night on the town, the Love Actually actress told her 634,000 followers that her recent break-up had been "brutal" in some aspects.

But losing friends in a divorce is, sadly, to be expected, according to Tina Wilson, relationship expert and founder of the Wingman app and it's something that Martine may need to be mindful of.

"Divorce or breaking up with someone after a long period of time together, as Martine describes, can feel brutal whether it was an amicable break-up or messy," she said.