EXCLUSIVE: Huge Hollywood Star Lifts Lid on Shame He Feels Over Split From Mom of His First Child — But Insists He Was 'Too Young' to Settle Down
Dominic West has spoken with unusual candor about the regret he still carries over the breakup that ended his first serious relationship.
Jan. 18 2026, Published 4:55 p.m. ET
Dominic West has spoken with unusual candor about the regret he still carries over the breakup that ended his first serious relationship, admitting the split left him feeling ashamed and convinced his eldest child missed out on stability he later provided elsewhere.
RadarOnline.com can reveal West, 56, reflected on the end of his relationship with Polly Astor during a podcast appearance, describing the separation as one of the lingering emotional burdens of his life.
West Admits Lingering Shame Over Early Breakup
Dominic West spoke openly about lingering regret from his past.
The actor said the split, which came when he was in his late twenties and just emerging from drama school, arrived at a moment when ambition outweighed readiness for family life.
Speaking on the "Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth" podcast, West was asked whether the break-up counted among the great sadnesses or shames of his life.
He replied: "I suppose so, yes. I suppose I wish my eldest daughter had had some of the advantages or some of the security that my others have had."
The Affair star added: "I think I was too young. I was 28."
He reflected on the breakup with his first serious partner.'
Career Ambition Clashed With Family Life
West admitted the split affected his eldest child.
West later conceded that 28 was "not that young," but said the timing was decisive.
"But I was just leaving drama school and looking towards America so it came at the wrong time, really," he said.
"It was very difficult, that ending. But we're great friends now and have been civil throughout."
The relationship with Astor, who West met at university in the late 1990s, ended in 2002.
She is the daughter of Conservative politician Michael Astor and the granddaughter of Nancy Astor, the first woman to take a seat in the House of Commons.
Since the separation, Astor has lived largely outside the public eye.
How He Built A Different Family Later On
West shared how perspective shaped his later family life.
West went on to marry Catherine FitzGerald in 2010, eight years after the earlier breakup, and the couple have four children together.
He said his eldest daughter, Martha, has always been treated as fully part of the family, adding that she feels "totally" integrated as a sister to his younger children.
Sources close to the actor said the reflections reveal a more introspective side rarely associated with his public persona.
One told us: "He is not revisiting this for drama. There is a genuine sense that he looks back and recognizes where ambition and immaturity collided, and that awareness has stayed with him."
Fatherhood Remains His Non-Negotiable
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He revealed a more introspective side of himself.
Another source said West's comments underline how sharply he distinguishes between personal regret and present responsibility.
They added: "He does not deny his mistakes, but he also refuses to rewrite history. He is clear that he was not equipped to settle then, even if he wishes the outcome had been gentler for everyone involved."
West also spoke about the practical decisions he made to remain present as a father while building an international career.
"I would never be away for more than three weeks – even when I wasn't married – when Martha was born," he said.
"I would come home every at least three weeks when we were shooting The Wire. I have to be with my kids. I can't be away from them for very long."
Best known for his work in The Wire, The Affair and The Crown, West has often attracted attention for his outspoken views on relationships.
While promoting The Affair, he once said: "I think women should be more indulgent of affairs. I really do. It's daft to kick someone out over a fling, isn't it?"
