Amanda Holden supporting BGT co-star Alesha Dixon following shock split from partner after 18 years
ALESHA Dixon is being comforted by her Britain’s Got Talent co-host following her split from the father of her children after nearly two decades.
BGT judge Alesha has called it quits with her choreographer boyfriend Azuka Ononye – and fellow talent judge Amanda Holden is on hand to give her some well-needed support.
A source told OK!: “Amanda knows what it’s like being the ‘famous’ one in a family, so has really taken Alesha under her wing to make sure she’s alright. Amanda has been amazing and understanding of the situation.”
The pair, who have ‘had each other’s backs’ since day one, have a lot in common and previously said they ‘speak all the time’ and have a ‘very natural friendship’.
The former Mis-Teeq singer is said to have grown apart from the father of her children.
The insider continued: “Alesha has become a really big star – more than she could have ever imagined – but when she first met Azuka, he was like her knight in shining armour after a string of bad relationships. Nothing bad has happened between them, they’ve just drifted apart.”
Alesha shares daughters Azure Sienna, 11, and five-year-old Anaya Safiya with Azuka – who she originally met when he was a backing dancer on one of Alesha’s tours.
The 46-year-old singer often called Azuka, 43, her “husband” — including once in 2017 on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show on BBC1.
But they have not been photographed together in public since March when they attended a music event in London’s Soho.
The brunette beauty was previously married to rapper MC Harvey from So Solid Crew back in 2005, but they split after he admitted to an affair with singer Javine Hylton.
The former Strictly Come Dancing judge joined the BGT judging panel in 2012 and soon formed a bond with previously-divorced Amanda, whose marriage to Les Dennis was shattered by an affair and later a divorce.
Alesha finished filming the first round of BGT auditions last month and will return to work on the ITV show in the New Year alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Bruno Tonioli.
The former couple have not been photographed together in public since March when they attended a music event in London’s Soho.
And in recent pictures, Alesha appears to have been trying to hide her left hand where she had previously worn a ring on her wedding finger.
In October, she was seen without it in a BGT publicity picture.
And when model Azuka was seen at the Wicked premiere at London’s Royal Festival Hall in November 2024 without Alesha, speculation grew.
On November 24, 2024 Alesha confirmed she had split from Azuka after a 18-year relationship.
Azuka Ononye was born December 14, 1980 and is best known for his work as a dancer, creator director and choreographer.
He has worked with the likes of Sade, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Duffy, Pixie Lott, Estelle, Ashanti and Cheryl to name a few.
Speaking about their relationship on Giovanna Fletcher‘s podcast previously, Alesha shared: “He was the first person that I’d met, that I knew that we could have children together because of our values, our morals, our thinking aligned…
“The thought of having children with someone who could do something toxic or show them something toxic that I saw as a child frightened me more than anything in the world.”