A dad has marked the end of his 23-year marriage - by driving a 'Just Divorced' car around his local town. Angus Kennedy, 58, says his split from ex-wife Sophie Kennedy, 47, was "amicable".
But he decided he wanted to celebrate being single and raise awareness about the divorce process - so gave his Subaru a unique makeover. The split was finalised in January and Angus, an author, drove his car last week.
He said: "Divorce doesn't always have to be doom and gloom - it can be a celebration of a new start. Me and Sophie are still friends - the relationship just broke down. But there is no animosity there.
"The final order went through in January so I thought doing the car up would be a funny way to celebrate."
The couple filed for divorce in July 2021 after they mutually agreed to go their separate ways. They share five children together, ranging between 11 and 23 - with whom they were planning to move to the jungle of Ecuador with.
Angus is also a leading chocolate expert and, in 2019, the family decided to swap their spacious home for a bamboo property set in 50 acres of South American jungle. There they had planned to help run a cocoa farm after Angus was contacted by the Ecuadorian jungle.
But, before finalising any plans, he and Sophie decided to end their marriage. The divorce was finalised in January 2023, which came as a relief to both parties.
And, to celebrate, Angus drove around town and picked up his youngest son from boxing in his 2004 Subaru Outback. The dad-of-five decorated his car with special pens, writing words like 'freedom' on the windows.
He designed and ordered his own 'Just Divorced' sticker for the boot and stuck fake roses and ribbons on the bonnet. Angus is also writing a new book called ‘Shaping Up For Love’, on how to find a new partner after so many years in a relationship.
He said: "The whole idea was to have a bit of fun with it - it wasn't an anti-marriage campaign. It's battering going through divorce, and the celebration was a way of helping me find myself. You have got to love yourself before expecting someone to love you.
"I picked my son up from boxing and he was embarrassed but it was all light-hearted fun. Other drivers were hooting at us the whole way home which made him laugh.
"And Sophie finds the whole thing hilarious, we are on great terms. I'm planning to get in touch with the church so I can get unmarried and undo the vows I pledged over two decades ago.
"I meet countless lonely people who feel they can’t have another relationship because they are so broken, so I've made it my mission to help them."
And, after going through divorce, Angus says he's been frustrated with the long winded, archaic process. And he believes that, until couples end their marriage, they don't realise the magnitude of the contractual agreement they enter by saying 'I do'.
Angus said: "It's a very painful process - it's the biggest contract of your life. Some people are really young when they go through it, and it can be really daunting. There is enormous pressure from both sides, and you don't realise when you're signing the document the magnitude of it all.
"They're so excited with weddings, and honeymoons but I wish someone took a moment and sat me down to go through it with me. Most big commitments have a 'cooling off period' where people can pull out if it's not as it seems.
"I want to be clear, although this wasn't the case with my marriage, people have reached out to me sharing their messy experiences. It's heartbreaking."
Sophie, a beautician, currently still lives in the same area as Angus and they share custody of the children. The ex-couple have kept a good relationship since their split, and Sophie says she is fully supportive of Angus' divorce parade.
Sophie said: "I wanted to have an amicable divorce to show our children that it was possible to stay friends. It was very important for me to show them a good example.
"We spend Christmas and Easter together as well as birthdays - and family dinners every so often for a catch up are a must. The car thing is funny, and to be honest, I wouldn't expect anything less from him."
