Lancashire-born Emmerdale actress Amy Nuttall and Broadchurch’s Andrew Buchan ‘split’ after he 'fell for co-star Leila Farzad'

Andrew Buchan has left the family home he shared with his Downton Abbey actress wife Amy Nuttall after falling for his co-star Leila Farzad.

Andrew, 44, who played Mark Latimer in the ITV hit, Broadchurch, is said to have fallen for glamorous Leila Farzad, 39, whilst they were filming the new BBC crime thriller, Better, reports The Sun.

The actor, who shares a son with wife, Amy, is believed to have walked out on their 11 year marriage just before Christmas and is now said to be living with Leila, much to the shock of family and friends. Leila also has a daughter, nine, with husband James Maizels, from whom she is separated.

Oxford University-educated Leila got her first big break in Billie Piper’s Sky Atlantic comedy I Hate Suzie. She has been receiving rave reviews for her depiction of a corrupt detective who begins to develop a conscience after her son, Owen, suffers a near-fatal illness.

Although the separation between Andrew and Amyl may have come as a shock to those close to them, followers of their social media accounts may have noticed some telling signs.

Earlier this month, Leila took to social media to share a gushing tribute to Andrew and the entire Better cast and crew.

Her caption read: “This lot. Couldn’t and wouldn’t happen without them. Big up the Better team who wiped my tears, held me up, fed me crumpets and made me smile.

“Don’t have pics of everyone but this gang got me through! We made a show, it’s NOT a Happy Valley replacement but a morality tale which should make you think”

On working with Andrew on the show, she added: “We never worked together before. He’s a dream to work with. He’s utterly open and generous and so highly skilled at what he does. I felt very lucky to be working with him on set every day.”

Andrew Buchan’s estranged wife, Amy Nuttall, who made a name for herself in Emmerdale playing Chloe Atkinson and then starred as housemaid Ethel Parks in ITV period drama Downton, also alluded to trouble in paradise.

On Valentine’s Day she posted a cryptic message saying: “I am not impressed by money, social status or job title, I’m impressed by the way someone treats other human beings.”

Followers were quick to comment on the post.

One agreed: “SAME. And oh boy have I lived to tell the tale of the disloyal ones”.

Another said: “Terrible I don’t know why woman want to make other woman unhappy and betray them!”

She also shared an image of her walking along holding hands with her two children which she captioned “Holidays with my favourites.”