Reports that Little Britain star Matt Lucas and his partner Kevin McGee are to divorce,18 months after entering into their legal civil partnership, are giving rise to interested speculation about what the financial outcome is likely to be.

This is the first celebrity union to have come to grief since the introduction of legalised gay ‘marriages’.   Consequently, family lawyers will be awaiting the distribution of assets following on the split withkeen interest.

Basically, the approach of the court to the breakdown of a civil partnership will be on the same principles as in ordinary divorce proceedings.  

It is being reported that Lucas is to instruct Miscon de Reya, the solicitors who acted for Princess Diana and - before she decided to dispense with their services and represent herself, - for Heather Mills in her divorce from Paul McCartney.

Kevin McGee is a tv producer, Matt Lucas a hugely popular comedian well known for the portrayal in his show of characters of his own invention such as The Only Gay in the Village, and Vicky Pollard - ‘Yeah but, no but ... ‘

There is obviously a considerable disparity in their incomes.   Matt’s capital has been estimated at £15million.   Currently, he has a £3million deal with the BBC and is also involved with an American tv company.   The couple shared a £1.5million home in St John’s Wood, West London.

Factors which will be taken into account should the matter come before a family court judge would certainly include the fact that the legal relationship lasted for such a short period. The length of time spent living together before the ceremony could also be of importance.

If the couple entered into a pre-nuptial agreement prior to their ‘marriage’, that agreement could be of crucial significance in determining their respective entitlements. Until very recently ‘pre-nups’ were accorded very little weight by our family courts, in contrast with the attitude in some American and European jurisdictions.   However, a recent trend seems to indicate that more regard is now being paid to them in our own courts.

Again, acording to family lawyers, if there is a pre-nup in this case, the fact that it would have been entered into so recently would be very likely to have an impact on whether a court would consider that its agreed terms should prevail.