Johnny Depp and Amber Heard agree on £5million settlement after tumultuous split
Couple issued a statement saying 'Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love'
THE most bitter showbiz divorce ever ended in an anticlimax yesterday as AMBER HEARD got a £5million settlement from JOHNNY DEPP.
The agreement means the court showdown over Amber’s domestic abuse claims — due to begin today — will no longer go ahead.
And I can reveal the actress agreed to take the cash after coming down from her original £23million demand.
Sadly, rather than making a stand against domestic violence — as her friends had claimed — it seems Amber was simply after a bumper pay day.
The settlement, seen between the pair was reached late on Monday night, hours after it emerged Johnny had severed his fingertip and accused Amber of having an affair with BILLY BOB THORNTON.
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The revelations, in court papers filed by Amber, were the breaking point which led to the deal.
Last night Johnny and Amber issued a joint statement in an attempt to put the drama to bed — but it seemed like a cop out.
They said: “Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love.
“Neither party has lied nor made false accusations for financial gain.
“There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future.
“Amber will be donating financial proceeds from the divorce to a charity.
“There will be no further public statements about this matter.”
After this serious, worrying saga highlighted the issue of domestic abuse, it is a great shame that this case was ultimately about money.
Despite saying she will give a cut of the cash to charity, Amber hasn’t specified what percentage.
Friends of Johnny maintain she was always out for financial gain.
A pal said: “At the end of the day, no matter what Amber says, this was a play for cash.
“The fact she swiftly accepted £5million after demanding £23million is evidence of that.”
Gruesome images of Johnny’s wounded finger went public on Monday after Amber filed them as evidence in court.
She claimed he accidentally cut his hand in March last year while “drunk and high on ecstasy”.
She said he then dipped it in a pot of blue paint and scrawled “Billy Bob” and “Easy Amber” on a wall — accusing her of sleeping with the US actor, co-star of her latest film, London Fields.
Yesterday Billy Bob strenuously denied any relationship with Amber. The nasty divorce battle began in May, when she arrived at court with a bruised eye and claimed the Pirates of the Caribbean star threw his iPhone at her.
I later revealed how the actor had been driven insane by his suspicions that his bisexual wife had cheated on him with model pal CARA DELEVINGNE.
Johnny had denied all Amber’s allegations throughout the process but damaging material leaked.
Over the weekend a disturbing video emerged online of the star slamming cupboard doors and yelling while downing red wine.
The money will be a drop in the ocean for Johnny, who is worth more than £300million.
But the damage to his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors will be devastating.
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Danny a Mark-ed man after yoghurt jibe
EASTENDERS hardman DANNY DYER and ex-Towie star MARK WRIGHT have become embroiled in one of the most ridiculous, but brilliant, showbiz feuds of the year.
And after a war of words on Twitter Mark’s brother JOSH claimed that his famous sibling once SLAPPED the Albert Square star, below.
It all started when Danny dissed the yoghurt brand Mark promotes and bad-mouthed his radio show.
Danny tweeted: “My worst nightmare would be listening to Heart FM while eating an Oykos yoghurt. It would be like p***ing razor blades.”
And while Heart DJ Mark didn’t respond, footballer Josh jumped to his defence, dropping the slap bombshell.
Using the nickname given to Danny by KEITH LEMON, Josh snapped: “Malcolm you must still be hurting from when Mark gave you a slap in the changing room that day. Get over it you melt.” Not one to go down without a fight, Danny condemned Mark making the violent move at a kids’ fund-raising event, tweeting of the slap: “At a charity football match 4 terminally ill children then run behind his dad. What a geezer. My bird hits harder.”
I think Mark has blown his chances of ever getting a Walford cameo.
She back, b****h!
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Rising star G-EAZY will join her on stage in New York on August 28 as she gives the world premiere live performance of Make Me from new album, Glory.