James Cracknell hits back at wife Beverley

Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell has today hit back at his estranged wife Beverley Turner's 'exaggerated' claims that his decision to take part in the Boat Race wrecked their marriage and said his efforts 'pay the bills'.

Cracknell claimed the 'complex' separation was 'a long time coming' and was nothing to do with the Boat Race or the 2010 brain injury that almost killed him, adding that 'rowing is easy' compared to marriage. 

But the father-of-three admitted his successful attempt to become the oldest winner of the race at 46 was a 'selfish pursuit' and told the Telegraph that he has since realised 'there's much more to life than mucking about in a boat'.

It comes after his ex, 45, said he 'abandoned' his family in a candid takedown of their relationship yesterday, adding he had never been the same since suffering a head injury when hit by a truck in the US nine years ago. 

She also described Cracknell's claims he was doing the Boat Race at 46 to show his children they can 'do anything they put their mind to' as 'b******s' and said his gruelling training was nothing more than 'dereliction of parenting and marital duty'.

The couple 'quietly separated' last year and announced the news in a joint statement just days before the race saying they were focused on bringing up son Croyde, 15, and daughters Kiki, ten, and Trixie, eight. 

MailOnline