In England and Wales, solicitors are bound by a duty of confidentiality as outlined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). This duty mandates that client information must not be disclosed without consent, and it persists even after the termination of the client relationship. Any information disclosed during the legal process is also confidential and should not be disseminated to the public by either party or their advisors.
However, the legal system is also moving towards greater transparency. Media and Transparency in the Family Court | Weightmans. The Transparency Reporting Pilot for children and financial remedy proceedings aims to promote accountability by allowing certain details of family court cases to be reported. This shift means that some aspects of proceedings may become public, potentially impacting the privacy of those involved.
On top of this, the use of social media can in some cases make maintaining privacy almost impossible unless you obtain the best guidance and advice.
Ant McPartlin & Lisa Armstrong (2018–2020)
What happened:
- the divorce was highly publicised
- their financial settlement and dog custody dispute were widely reported
- the public were interested in Ant’s public battle with addiction and his new relationship
- Lisa fuelled the public interest via her behaviour on social media
- Lisa “liked” tweets that criticized Ant and his new partner
- she often interacted with sympathetic posts and wanting to lead her own narrative
- her retweets and posts were widely seen as emotional responses to Ant’s actions and the media narrative.
All of this meant that journalists and tabloids actively monitored Lisa’s social activity, often using her likes and tweets as content for headlines. Without speaking to the press directly, Lisa’s social media activity kept the story alive and encouraged publicity.
Why does this matter?
Firstly, it stopped both Ant and Lisa from having any privacy.
Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, it likely made reaching a settlement much more difficult with tensions running high.
Tight social media control and early, coordinated PR could have made the divorce a different experience for the two of them. We explore other ideas to reduce publicity below.
How high-profile individuals can reduce publicity in a UK divorce
1. Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): Alternative dispute resolution in family law | Weightmans
- mediation Family mediation service | Divorce mediation | Weightmans, collaborative law Collaborative family lawyers: free consultation | Weightmans, One Couple One Lawyer services Separating Together: One Couple One Lawyer | Weightmans and arbitration are private and occur behind closed doors which mean personal information, financial details, and family matters are kept out of tabloids and social media.
- decisions are not published or reported on unless appealed.
So, parties can keep their dispute out of public court.
Pep Guardiola – 2025
It is widely reported that Pep Guardiola is using non-court dispute resolution for his divorce: Pep Guardiola and the Art of the Amicable Divorce | Weightmans
2. Use of NDAs:
- non-disclosure agreements (NDAs): These legal contracts can restrict parties from sharing specific information.
However, careful legal advice needs to be taken before an NDA is considered, against the backdrop of NDAs reportedly being used to silence claimants of abuse.
3. Engage a family law solicitor who will work closely with PR firms.
- engaging professionals who specialise in controlling public narratives can be beneficial. Weightmans can combine legal expertise with public relations strategies to protect clients’ reputations.
4. Social media discipline:
- avoid posting during the process
- it is important to have a strict social media policy for yourself, anyone connected to you and/or your business
- social media use could be contempt of court – see Contempt of court and social media - GOV.UK
5. Transparency strategy:
- a well-managed joint statement can stop rumours before they start
- addressing the situation clearly and only once can prevent multiple speculative stories
- acting early and jointly is key.
6. Court applications for anonymity (where possible).
- especially in cases involving children or sensitive business assets.
If you require further guidance on maintaining confidentiality and managing public exposure during legal proceedings, arrange a consultation with Weightmans and we can work with you and your other advisors to ensure that publicity is kept to a minimum.
Social media
Social media platforms are integral to many people’s daily life, especially those among the younger generations.
Many parents, especially if separated from the other parent, grapple with balancing their social media activity and its impact on their children: see Sharenting: definition and top tips | Weightmans
Social media use during sensitive legal proceedings can inadvertently compromise privacy. Sharing details about ongoing cases or personal relationships online can lead to unintended public scrutiny or even contempt of court.
In the high-stakes world of celebrity life, privacy is one of the most valuable, and vulnerable, commodities. Public battles can quickly become media spectacles, with intimate details of a couple’s life exposed to the world. Social media played a noticeable and emotionally charged role in the divorce of Ant McPartlin (of Ant and Dec) and Lisa Armstrong.