Midsomer Murders star John Nettles' candid comments about divorce from first wife Joyce
John Nettles has remained on good terms with his ex-wife, Joyce Middleton following their divorce in 1979 – and she even worked as a casting director on Midsomer Murders.
The former couple, who married in 1966, continued to co-parent their daughter, Emma, who now works as a data protection officer in Jersey. 20 years after their divorce, John joined The Mirror in 1999, and it was during this interview that he took responsibility for his split from Joyce.
Explaining that he was "very bitter and cynical" when his relationship broke down, the actor noted that "the marriage had been over for many years before the official separation."
John and Joyce had fallen for one another at university, but during their marriage, the Midsomer Murders star admitted to being "difficult".
"I was bloody arrogant - what you might call a big head," he told the publication. "Until I was asked to play Bergerac, I'd become gloomy and despondent about my future prospects as an actor.
"I was frustrated, full of complexes and neuroses. I began to lose my self-confidence, and that's fatal for an actor. In the end, I wasn't nearly as attentive towards Joyce as I should have been. It's part and parcel of this business."
Read more
Inside John Nettles and Jane Wymark's real-life friendship on the set of Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders star Daniel Casey's life after show: from comments on exit to home life
Midsomer Murders star John Nettles' sweet bond with daughter Emma
Following his divorce, John eventually found love with former nurse turned painter, Cathryn Sealey, whom he married in Stratford-upon-Avon in July 1995. The couple met through his good friend and comedian, Les Dawson.
Speaking to Mail Online, John recalled: "I met her when I was working in panto with Les Dawson in the 1980s, and we were having a party at the hotel where we were staying.
"Cathryn had been invited by one of the cast, and I was bowled over by how beautiful she was. So when I saw Les boring her rigid with a very rude joke about a farting turtle, I asked her if she wanted a drink and whisked her away."
Asked what drew him to Cathryn, John remarked: "Her kindness, her beauty and her friendship both attracted me and keep me with her."
Nowadays, John and Cathryn reside in a 15th-century longhouse complete with a modern extension in the Devonshire village of Holsworthy. The pair – who are both animal lovers – own several rescue dogs, horses and donkeys.
"I sometimes think God made horses on the Monday when everything was fresh. They are the most beautiful creatures," he told The Telegraph in May 2024.
While little is known about his ex-wife, Joyce's IMDb biography states that she's continued to work as a casting director, and is credited for casting an episode of West of Liberty, not to mention the short film Maude, with both premiering in 2019.
