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Fans of Nollywood power couple Patrick and Ireti Doyle have been left in shock as the actress revealed that they are now divorced.
For years, there has been speculation regarding the state of affairs of their marriage.
However, in a recent interview with Chude Jideonwo on his podcast WithChude, the actress, 55, emphatically stated that they are officially divorced.
Speaking with the host, Ireti said that though they may have painted a pretty picture before fans, there was a wide gap between the image and their reality.
She further went on to say that though they may be entertainers, their private life is not, and the public is not entitled to any information.
“That I’m an actor and plying my trade in the public arena does not make you entitled to my personal life. And quite frankly, I don’t owe anybody any explanation. So go ahead; speculate all you want. If it helps you digest your morning tea, I’m happy to oblige,” she said.
On the question of stealing the hopes of those who want to believe in love, she said that her life is not an animation.
“So if I hurt anybody, I’m sorry. But I had to choose for myself. I’d say it was a pretty picture, but there was a wide cavity between the picture and reality,” she added.
She, however, insisted that she kept the name Ireti Doyle because she had worked hard for it.
Responding to a question posed by a fan on Twitter, she said;
“‘Ireti Doyle’ is a name nearly 30 years in the making. It’s mine.”
Things first began to look rocky in 2017 when fans of the couple first pointed out that they hardly appear together in public anymore.
In 2019, Mr Doyle, who lost his first wife to sickle cell anaemia, wrote a touching message to Ireti on his Facebook page to mark their 15th wedding anniversary.
The veteran entertainer, Patrick, had said they met on the set of a movie he was producing, and after he lost his wife, Ireti made her shoulders available for him to cry and lean on.
Describing her as an uncommon woman, he, among other things, said that he “had been less than worthy of her affection”.
Nigerians were quick to point out that she neither acknowledged nor responded to the lengthy post, further fuelling rumours of the divorce.