A man who was married to a £61 million EuroMillions winner for just a few weeks has sent her a light-hearted message three decades after they parted ways.
A Familiar Face on the News
Paul Ridge, 67, from Colne in Lancashire, had not seen his ex-wife, Debbie Nuttall, for 30 years. That changed last year when a woman who "looked slightly familiar" appeared on television news brandishing a giant cheque for the life-changing sum.
"It mentioned Colne," Paul recalled. "I looked at the photo and said, 'She looks slightly familiar'. She looked a lot different but she did look slightly familiar." The woman was indeed Debbie, who had just won the enormous EuroMillions jackpot with her husband, Richard.
Whirlwind Romance and Best Wishes
Paul, now a delivery driver, was a 35-year-old club DJ when he met Debbie, who was 22. After a "whirlwind romance," the pair tied the knot at a registry office in 1992. Paul alleges the marriage ended within weeks.
Despite the brief union, Paul and his current wife, Paula, 57, hold no grudges. "I have no hard feelings. It's life, we all make mistakes. I wish her all the best," said Paul, a father-of-two. He then quipped: "She can donate some to me, if she likes. I'd be very grateful!" Paula added her congratulations, saying: "All the best to them."
New Lives for the Jackpot Winners
Debbie and accountant Richard Nuttall discovered their fortune while celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary in the Canary Islands. They flew home to verify the win before treating their whole family to a celebratory full English breakfast.
The couple, who plan to retire early, are set to buy a second home in Portugal to be closer to their two daughters and three granddaughters. They have already indulged in a new BMW X5.
Debbie's father, John, revealed she broke the news to him in person, telling him to sit down. "I was dumbfounded but it couldn't happen to a nicer couple," he said. He also suggested it was "more than likely" Debbie would do something charitable in memory of her cousin, Ben King, who died at 27 from a rare auto-immune disease.
