Chris Tarrant and wife to be granted divorce

LONDON, Feb 7 (Reuters) The 15-year-marriage of TV presenter Chris Tarrant and his wife Ingrid is set to end with a quick divorce in London today.

In formal proceedings at a central London court, a judge will rubber stamp the divorce of 60-year-old Tarrant and 51-year-old Ingrid along with a batch of 32 other couples.

District Judge Segal will grant Norwegian-born Ingrid an uncontested ''quickie'' divorce.

Tarrant, presenter of hit show ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' and Ingrid, a former TV reporter, announced that they were parting in September last year after he admitted a seven-year affair with a teacher.

Today, the judge is scheduled to grant Ingrid a ''decree nisi'' which, while it does not free either of them to remarry effectively brings a legal end to the marriage.

A ''decree absolute'' which does bring the full curtain down on the marriage follows, usually in around six weeks time.

However, this is sometimes delayed during negotiations about the divorce pay-out.

Last year, in a statement after the couple split, Tarrant said he was ''deeply sorry'' for the hurt he had caused his ''loyal wife and wonderful children'' adding that he adored them all.

''I have only myself to blame for the breakdown of my marriage,'' he said.

The couple met after the break-up in 1981 of Tarrant's first marriage and have two teenage children. They also have children from their previous marriages.

REUTERS RL VV0914