Divorce served up to Nigella in 70 seconds

Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi were granted a decree nisi late last night (NZT), effectively ending their 10-year marriage seven weeks after the multimillionaire British art collector was photographed clutching the TV cook by the throat.

The decree was granted by Judge Anne Aitken after a 70-second hearing in the High Court at London.

Neither Saatchi nor Lawson nor any lawyers acting for them were present.

Saatchi, 70, and Lawson, 53, will now have to wait for a decree absolute, which is usually issued six weeks later and formally ends the marriage.

Court papers show that Lawson petitioned for divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour, which, according to the documents, was continuing.

The paperwork also reveals that an "order for financial relief" between the couple has been approved, suggesting they have come to a private financial agreement without recourse to the courts.

Speculation over the state of their marriage erupted after a British Sunday newspaper published photographs last month which showed Saatchi holding his wife by the throat as they had an argument on the terrace of a restaurant.

He dismissed the incident as nothing more than "a playful tiff", but then accepted a police caution for assault. He said he had done so to stop the incident "hanging over" them.

Lawson, who was subsequently pictured without her wedding ring, has described him as "the exploder" in the past because of his temper.

Saatchi later told the Mail on Sunday that the pictures gave a "wholly different and incorrect implication".

But he also told the newspaper: "I feel that I have clearly been a disappointment to Nigella during the last year or so, and I am disappointed that she was advised to make no public comment to explain that I abhor violence of any kind against women, and have never abused her physically in any way."

The couple confirmed they would not make any financial claims against each other, ruling out prolonged legal arguments.

Lawson has been represented by her cousin, Baroness Shackleton, the leading divorce solicitor who represented Sir Paul McCartney when he separated from Heather Mills. Saatchi has not been using any lawyers.