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Author Neil Gaiman and singer Amanda Palmer’s messy public split during lockdown

Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer’s sudden split has come at a “comically bad” time - and it’s all playing out online.

Alex Heigl
2 min read
May 5, 2020 - 2:26PM
Good Omens on Amazon Prime trailer

Author Neil Gaiman and wife Amanda Palmer seem to have split.

Musician Palmer, 44, and Good Omens co-creator Gaiman, 59, recently confirmed conflicting versions of the separation on their respective social media channels.

“Since people are getting confused and asking and my phone and inbox is blowing up with ‘where‘s Neil?’ a few times a minute … I can only gather that he’s finally told the internet that he’s left New Zealand, and I thought I would come here with a short note,” Palmer wrote on her Patreon, a website where fans can pay her a monthly donation.

The timing of the couple’s split was “comically bad.” Picture: Getty
The timing of the couple’s split was “comically bad.” Picture: Getty

“Neil moved to the UK, my heart has been broken, and I am really struggling,” she continued. “I’m still in lockdown here in New Zealand with 4-year-old [son] Ash for the foreseeable future.

“So you all know: this did not happen because of COVID or lockdown, though the timing is comically bad; other things came to light after we got here to New Zealand. In fairness to all, and to keep little Ash (who will not always be little) protected, the details aren't for the public.”

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Early Monday, Gaiman wrote on Twitter, “I see [Palmer] has told people that we (like much of the world) are going through rocky times right now. It is true, we are. It’s really hard, and I’d like to request privacy (as I’m not going to be talking about it publicly) and kindness, for us and for Ash.”

Palmer responded to the tweet: “thank you neil. Since many people are asking; no, what we are going through isn’t a result of the lockdown or COVID. And we thank everybody for your well-wishes, respect, understanding and kindness.”

The pair’s split – and in particular, Palmer’s decision to blog about it on the fundraising platform Patreon, apparently before informing Gaiman she planned to go public – has caused quite the stir on social media:

It’s unclear whether the pair will legally separate or are merely having some now-public marital struggles.

The couple was first married during a Palmer-organised flash mob timed to Gaiman’s 50th birthday in 2010, and later made things official in 2011. In October, they outlined their “on-again, off-again open marriage” to the UK’s Sunday Times.

“We’ve both shattered one another’s hearts occasionally through bad choices, but our relationship stands it,” Palmer said. “We’re not interested in having big, multiple relationships. We’re just slutty, but compassionately so.”

Reached for comment, Gaiman’s representative referred Page Six to his tweet. Reps for Palmer did not immediately return a request for comment.

This story originally appeared on Page Six and is republished here with permission.

Originally published as Author Neil Gaiman and singer Amanda Palmer’s messy public split during lockdown

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/author-neil-gaiman-and-singer-amanda-palmers-messy-public-split-during-lockdown/news-story/3d29dce274c3c1a369c7c9ee2eda6d23