Mr Bean’ star Rowan Atkinson and wife divorces after 24-years

Rowan Atkinson and Sunetra Sastry

Rowan Atkinson and his estranged wife Sunetra Sastry have ended their marriage after 24 years together. The couple separated in February 2014, and Rowan has since been dating comedy actress Louise Ford.

On Tuesday morning, Sunetra was granted a decree nisi by a district judge at the Central Family Court in London. The order states the date on which a marriage will end unless a good reason for the divorce not to go ahead is produced.

According to ITV, Rowan was not present at the hearing where the court was told that the couple were divorcing over the actor's "unreasonable behaviour". Rowan married Sunetra in February 1990, although they had met years before while Sunetra was working as make-up artist with the BBC. The ex-couple have two children together – Lily, who is an actress, and a son Benjamin.

Rowan and his girlfriend Louise started dating shortly after the split. The pair met while starring in comic play Quartermaine's Terms in the West End together in 2013.

At the time of the split, Rowan and Sunetra were in the middle of building a £11million home in Oxfordshire. The Mr. Bean star moved into a £4million London cottage while his estranged wife is living in a £21million mansion in the capital.

"Sunetra was deeply upset to be replaced by such a younger woman," a source told The Sun.

Actor and comedian Rowan shot to fame after starring in sketch show Not the Nine O'Clock News. He is most recognised for his long-standing series Blackadder and Mr. Bean and later the Johnny English film franchise.