18 November 2023 , 18:45
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Nigel Harman has been a fan-favourite on Strictly Come Dancing ever since he started showing off his moves alongside professional partner Katya Jones.
The former EastEnders actor - who played Dennis Rickman from 2003 to 2005 - has left viewers stunned with his impressive routines, and none have been more supportive of his Strictly journey than his wife Lucy Liemann, who is often seen supporting him from the audience.
Nigel and Lucy have been together for 12 years after they met on BBC's drama Hotel Babylon in 2006. And Nigel's romance with his spouse isn't the first time he's wooed a co-star, as he previously dated actress Tamzin Outhwaite before settling down and starting a family.
Ngel practising with partner Katya JonesWhile Nigel and Tamzin are both known for starring in EastEnders, the pair didn't begin their romance while on the BBC soap. In fact, they never even appeared on Albert Square at the same time. Tamzin - who played Mel Healy, later known as Mel Owen - starred on the soap between 1998 and 2002, leaving a year before Nigel's character Dennis burst onto the scene.
Both Tamzin and Nigel's time in Walford was short-lived, but the pair both became central figures in many key storylines with their characters loved by viewers. After leaving the soap, both stars went on to find fame in a variety of other roles in popular UK dramas. And it was on one of these dramas, BBC's Red Cap, where the pair crossed paths.
EastEnders' Jake Wood's snap of son has fans pointing out the pair's likeness
Red Cap ran between 2003 and 2004 and followed the investigations and personal relationships of a British Army Special Investigation Branch unit of the Royal Military Police based in Germany. As a result, much of the filming for the drama also took place in Germany, and the cast had to adapt to a gruelling schedule that often saw them work for 18 hours at a time.
Nigel Harman is happily married to actress Lucy Liemann (Getty Images)
Katya Jones is taking care of him on his Strictly adventure (DIGITAL/EROTEME.CO.UK)Speaking of the long days on set with her castmates, Tamzin recalled: "Red Cap took 17 weeks to film, I was being picked up at 5.30 am and getting in quite late, and I had more scenes to learn for the morning. I was doing 18-hour days sometimes."
It was during these weeks that Tamzin and Nigel hit it off and took their friendship to the next level. The pair started dating and, despite trying to keep things under wraps, in 2003 they were spotted having a steamy snog outside of Tamzin's flat. However, despite a promising beginning, the romance proved short-lived with the pair calling it off before Nigel got the call to join the cast of EastEnders.
Nigel went on to find love with his wife Lucy, who is a successful actress in her own right. Fans may recognise Lucy from her roles in popular shows like The Bill, The IT Crowd, and Midsomer Murders. But it was her role in the Jason Bourne film series that truly catapulted her into the spotlight. The couple tied the knot in 2011, and a year later Lucy gave birth to their daughter.
Things haven't worked out as magically for Tamzin. She wed fellow actor Tom Ellis in 2006, and the couple welcomed their two daughters before sadly splitting in 2013. It was reported that Tamzin and her husband parted ways after the Lucifer star was accused of having an affair.
Nigel as Dennis in Eastenders (BBC)Earlier this year, Tamzin shocked fans when she took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say she was still uncovering 'infidelities and lies'. She wrote: "Ten years since the father of my kids walked out on us for the final time. I still meet new people on jobs who reveal more infidelities and lies that he committed. But thankfully my heart and soul are clear and clean and I could not be happier right now."
However, she soon deleted the post and apologised for "triggering" any of her followers who were going through similar heartache. "Thank you all for your messages re: my now-deleted tweet. I was marking the 10-year anniversary with pride, a feeling of triumph and genuine gratitude," Tamzin explained.
"I understand it has triggered some people. For anyone struggling, the most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself," she wrote. Tamzin previously addressed their split in 2015 and suggested the infidelity was a long-term relationship rather than a fling. "I wouldn't not be with my husband over a one-night stand is all I'll say,” she told Essentials magazine.