Martha Stewart's Ex-Husband and His Current Wife Break Their Silence on His 'Painful and Abusive' Marriage to Martha

Mar. 15, 2025

The current wife ofMartha Stewart’s former husband,Andrew Stewart, has spoken out against claims made in the lifestyle mogul’s new Netflix documentary.

“As some of you know, my husband is Andrew Stewart - brilliant publisher, avocational naturalist and nature photographer, and one of the gentlest, most soft-spoken, kind-hearted men I’ve ever known,” Nelson Stewart wrote on the morning of Oct. 12, adding that she and Andrew were “introduced as colleagues almost 12 years ago.”

Martha Stewart.Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty

Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty

Martha and Andrew were married from 1961 to 1990 and share a daughter,Alexis, who was born in 1965.

“Andy and I have built a life of beauty, meaning, productivity, and purpose, infused with true love, which we share as fully as we can with our beautiful blended family of 5 amazing adult children, our 3 adorable grandchildren, our extended family, and many cherished friends,” Nelson Stewart continued.

Martha Stewart and Andrew Stewart.Martha Stewart/Courtesy of Netflix

Martha Stewart/Courtesy of Netflix

However, she acknowledged that Andrew did have a history before the two became husband and wife.

“Prior to this happy chapter of his life, Andy had some dark ones, including a painful and abusive marriage to Martha (as in, Martha Stewart), which ended almost 40 years ago,” Nelson Stewart said.

Martha Stewart at Netflix’s “Martha” New York Premiere, October 2021.Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty

She added that the man she knows could not be more different than the man being portrayed onscreen.

“The juxtaposition of Andy’s early life with the joy-filled, purpose-led, loving marriage we live today is striking. Every day, we openly express our gratitude for our love and for our life together,” Nelson Stewart continued.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

A rep for Martha Stewart did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Thursday, Nov. 7.

In her documentary, the television personality reveals both she and Andy had affairs in the marriage. Andy told producers he “didn’t stray” until he learned she had.

Kathy Tatlock, a friend of the entrepreneur, claimed Martha and Andy’s relationship was “always strained.”

“Andy was extremely busy in his publishing business and when he was around, it was always strained," she said. “She was critical of him in terms of what he’d be wearing or how he said something. Andy handled her business arrangements. Over the years, they were much more like colleagues than partners in life. They were in different universes and when Martha wanted Andy to be present in her universe, he wasn’t eager to be there. There was greater and greater friction between them.”

Added Martha: “He treated me really badly. And, in return, I guess I treated him badly.”

Marthais streaming now on Netflix.

source: people.com