[Red Moon]

Found: The Australian actress I'm a Celebrity winner Christopher Biggins married, because it was 'the done thing'

This is Beatrice Aston, the Australian actress I'm A Celebrity winner Christopher Biggins married, despite knowing he was gay.

But while Biggins is being feted to star in his own TV programme following his success in ITV1's jungle reality show, The Mail on Sunday has discovered the woman he married in 1971 is living a much more modest life in a tiny flat in the Sydney beachside suburb of Clovelly.

Known to neighbours not by her professional surname Aston but by her maiden name of Norbury, the 70-year-old is understood to live alone and never to have remarried since her three-and-a-half-year marriage to Biggins failed.

The pair tied the knot on December 22, 1971, at Kensington register office in West London.

He was 23 and gave his occupation as "art dealer", although he was already an actor by then. She was ten years older and a teacher.

Biggins, now 59, recently admitted: "I'd known for years that I was gay but getting married was the done thing.

"I suppose I was living a lie.

"It was just one of those things you did, I think, in those days.

"We have remained friends and are still in touch.'

Australian-born Beatrice stayed in the UK for 15 years, appearing in West End musicals before returning home, where she landed small parts in soap Home And Away and hospital drama All Saints.

She supplemented her income by teaching tap-dancing and until a year ago she lived in an elegant five-bedroom villa in the upmarket suburb of Bronte, near her current home.

Biggins, who married his partner of 14 years, Neil Sinclair, 46, in a civil ceremony last December, tried to contact Beatrice when he arrived in Australia to take part in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, but she was away.

Beatrice refused to talk about him yesterday, although she is believed to have called him since his win.

Source: Daily Mail

[Jackie]

Beatrice seems quite happy enough living the life shes chosen for herself.