James Norton is "crazily grateful" for the "pain" of his split from Imogen Poots
The 39-year-old actor got engaged to the 28 Weeks Later actress in 2022 after four years together, but they split in 2022 and the Little Women star now views Imogen's decision to end their relationship as a "gift".
2 July 2025
Speaking at the Glasonbury Festival, The Sun newspaper reports he said: "It was a gift in a weird, roundabout way.
"She called it. She realised it wasn't working.
"I'm crazily grateful for the pain she caused me."
James - who is now believed to be dating Lily Allen - admitted the split was a "massive" moment in his life because he thought he and Imogen were going to raise a family together.
He said: "I got broken up with and it was massive.
"I thought I was going to have kids.
"The life I thought I was going to have disappeared at 38."
The Happy Valley actor previously insisted he hasn't given up hope of having a family, despite the end of his engagement.
He told The Sunday Times newspaper: "Getting older is a struggle if you are freaking out about the choices you've made, but I don't carry regret. And, you know, some of the choices recently weren't mine, yet I don't feel begrudging. Maybe next year I'll have a family and a relationship ...
"You have a certain amount of control over your life and choices you make, and at other times you don't. But if you made those choices or not, it's a shame to spend time agonising over either."
And despite his desire to have children, James doesn't think it would have been "fair" for him to start a family in recent years.
He said: "I don't sit on set where I'm playing a dad and feel sad and broody. I love hanging out with kids - most of my friends have kids so I'm not quite in step with my peers - but the past few years have been the busiest I've been, so it would not have been fair to bring a child into that.
"Also, the inherently unfair benefit of being a man is there is less rush. I am lucky I can have kids later, so now I'm happy, actually, with my life. I feel really excited by the choices I've made."
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