AceShowbiz - "The Happy Valley" star James Norton has spoken openly about his recent breakup with actress Imogen Poots, attributing part of their relationship's demise to his demanding West End role in the play "A Little Life". Norton, 39, and Poots, 35, ended their six-year relationship before Christmas, only announcing their split in February.

Norton told The Sunday Times, "If the work starts to compromise one's relationships, it can become unhealthy. Suddenly you realize you haven't left any space for other people and so I was p****d off with that." He added that this particular breakup was not his decision, noting, "Some of the choices recently weren't mine, yet I don't feel begrudging."

The couple, who became engaged in February 2022, first met during a run of the play "Belleville" at the Donmar Warehouse in London in 2017. They kept the news of their split under wraps initially, with a source close to the pair telling MailOnline, "Imogen, for whatever reason, didn't want people to know."

Imogen, a self-proclaimed free spirit, has previously discussed her reluctance to settle down, expressing a desire to keep exploring the world and travel extensively. The actress split her time between New York and London but insisted distance was never an issue in maintaining their relationship, saying in 2020, "I have never known anything to fall apart due to distance."

James touched on the challenges of balancing a high-profile acting career with personal relationships. He admitted that his busy work life had often left little room for his personal life, impacting not just Poots, but his own dreams of starting a family as well. "I'm mid-30s, I've always wanted a family, my sister has kids, my broody barometer is kicking off anyway," he shared in an earlier interview.

While the couple managed to keep their breakup private, Norton has been open about his hopes for the future. Reflecting on his life and career, he expressed no regrets, stating, "Maybe next year I'll have a family and a relationship." Despite their differences and the eventual split, Norton appears to hold no ill will over the decisions that led to their parting ways.