Ioan Gruffudd has announced his engagement to Bianca Wallace, two years after his bitter split from ex-wife Alice Evans.
The actor shared the news on social media by posting a selfie of the pair, in which Bianca flashed her new diamond ring.
They captioned the post: “The most precious thing happened… ❤️💍.”
The Fantastic Four star started dating the Australian actress following the breakdown of his marriage to Alice Evans.
The former couple parted ways in 2021 after 14 years of marriage, and have been embroiled in a custody battle over their two daughters – Ella, 13, and Elsie, 9 – ever since.
Alice and Ioan met on the set of 102 Dalmations back in 2000, and they tied the knot in 2007.
Last June, Ioan made some shocking claims about Alice in court documents that were filed at the LA Superior Court – after their daughter Ella applied for a restraining order against him and his now-fiancée Bianca Wallace.
The teenager has also applied for civil harassment protection from Bianca, following an alleged incident at Ioan’s home.
Ella alleged Bianca “slammed a door” on her, leaving her with a bruised arm and a bump on her head.
In court documents responding to the case, Ioan denied Ella’s version of events, and claimed the 13-year-old “threw her arm in the door as it was closing”.
In the papers, the 49-year-old also alleged his ex-wife Alice screamed at him outside his home and called him a “f***ing abuser” in front of Ella.
On February 12, 2021, Ioan recalled Ella “rushing out” of the house claiming Alice “was being mean to her and did not love her anymore”.
He alleged: “Alice then ran out of the house to my car, screaming at the top of her lungs. I cannot overstate how loudly she was yelling, ‘F*** you! F***, f***, f*** you, you f***ing abuser!
“She called me an ‘abusive c***’, told me I would never get a job again, and screamed to the neighbourhood that I beat her up and was a ‘f***ing abuser.’ She screamed at me, ‘You f***ing took my children away! F*** you!”
Ioan claimed “this entire scene took place directly in front” of his daughter.
“Alice accused me of child abuse, said I did not love the girls, and called me a ‘cruel monster’,” he added. “Alice said I was ruining all their lives.”
A judge later ruled against Ella, saying: “The minor’s request for a domestic violence restraining order against the petitioner is hereby dismissed without prejudice.”
Ioan obtained a three-year restraining order against Alice after their split, which bans her from mentioning him on social media.
But in the June court documents, Ioan accused his ex-wife of breaking the restraining order.
Ioan alleged: “There have been a number of anonymous social media accounts set up on Twitter naming Bianca and myself ‘child abusers,’ and making incredibly slanderous and defamatory claims.
“Alice has slipped up a number of times on these accounts, making clear the ‘anonymous’ accounts are her accounts.”
“Alice has made thousands of false, threatening and harassing posts about me on social media, and she has made false and harassing statements about me to the media.”
Ioan claimed Alice’s “verbal abuse and inappropriate behaviour escalated” after he moved out of the family residence in January 2021.
“‘Alice sent me hundreds of harassing, abusive and threatening communications by text, email, voice message, video message… and she has verbally abused me on the phone and in person, often in front of the girls,” he alleged.
