Jump directly to the content

BEN Affleck has revealed he is looking to move forward in a "loving" new relationship, because there is no way to fix his romance with ex-wife Jennifer Garner.

The troubled actor has been in a frank chat with Diane Sawyer and he got honest about his hopes for "meaningful" love in the future.

 Ben Affleck has admitted he hopes to be in a "loving and committed" relationship within the new five years
9
Ben Affleck has admitted he hopes to be in a "loving and committed" relationship within the new five yearsCredit: GMA

Speaking to the , Ben got candid about the fact he will never be able to mend his romantic relationship with the mother of his three children.

The 47-year-old explained: "There are things I would love to go back and change. I have regrets. I made plenty of mistakes, some big and some small.

"I wish I could go back in time and change all kinds of things but I can't."

And he took the opportunity to confirm that he is not looking for new love on any dating sites, as had previously been reported.

Ben continued: "I'm not on any websites... Tinder, Grinder, Bumble... I'm not on any of them. And I don't have any judgement who are but that's not me.

 Ben has admitted there is no way to fix his romantic relationship with ex-wife Jennifer Garner
9
Ben has admitted there is no way to fix his romantic relationship with ex-wife Jennifer GarnerCredit: Rex Features
 The actor got candid about his love life in an interview with Diane Sawyer
9
The actor got candid about his love life in an interview with Diane SawyerCredit: GMA

"I would love to have a relationship that was deeply meaningful and one to which I would be deeply committed."

Since his split from Jen, the actor has been briefly linked with model Shauna Sexton and musician Katie Cherry, while he enjoyed a longer relationship with SNL producer Lindsay Shookus.

When asked where he hoped he would be in five years time, Ben responded: "Five years from now Ben Affleck is happy and sober... he sees his kids three and a half days a week.

 Ben and Jen share three children Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11 and seven-year-old Sam
9
Ben and Jen share three children Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11 and seven-year-old SamCredit: Splash News

"And has made movies that are interesting to him, directed two he is proud off. And he is hopefully in a stable, loving, committed relationship."

During his two-part chat with Diane, Ben admitted his his pain at the fact

He explained: "I never thought I was gonna get divorced -- I didn't wanna be a divorced person.

"I really didn't wanna be a split family with my children -- and it upset me because it meant I wasn't who I thought I was. And that was so painful and so disappointing."

 Ben has also admitted that his divorce from ex-wife Jennifer Garner is his "biggest regret"
9
Ben has also admitted that his divorce from ex-wife Jennifer Garner is his "biggest regret"Credit: The Mega Agency

His candid interview comes after the release of another chat with the New York Times in which the Good Will Hunting star

The actor and his Daredevil co-star were one of Hollywood's golden couples when they tied the knot in 2005, but by 2018 the pair had called it quits due to Ben's battle with alcoholism.

And speaking about how his  influenced the end of his marriage, expressed his continued guilt.

 Jen and Ben were one of Hollywood's most love couples during their 13-year marriage
9
Jen and Ben were one of Hollywood's most love couples during their 13-year marriageCredit: Rex Features

He told : "I drank relatively normally for a long time. What happened was that I started drinking more and more when my marriage was falling apart.

"My drinking, of course, created more marital problems."

The Argo star continued: "The biggest regret of my life is this divorce. Shame is really toxic.

 The former couple are working together as they co-parent their three children
9
The former couple are working together as they co-parent their three childrenCredit: Splash News

"There is no positive byproduct of shame. It’s just stewing in a toxic, hideous feeling of low self-worth and self-loathing."

But the remorseful actor also revealed that he was taking care not to obsess over his mistakes as he tries to move forward with his life.

He continued: "It’s not particularly healthy for me to obsess over the failures — the relapses — and beat myself up.

"I have certainly made mistakes. I have certainly done things that I regret. But you’ve got to pick yourself up, learn from it, learn some more, try to move forward."

 Ben says his drinking left him "stewing in a toxic, hideous feeling of low self-worth and self-loathing"
9
Ben says his drinking left him ";stewing in a toxic, hideous feeling of low self-worth and self-loathing"Credit: Splash News

In 2018, Ben and Jen divorced after 13 years of marriage and the family.

Ben first checked into rehab in 2001 and made a second trip to rehab in 2017.

One year later, Ben checked in a live-in rehab facility after staged an intervention.

In October, Ben admitted to relapsing during his alcoholism recovery - just days after celebrating a year of sobriety.

Topics