And celebrity chef Keith Floyd lived up to his reputation yesterday after demanding his mother-in-law foot the bill for his fourth divorce.

Floyd, who had been recuperating in France after collapsing in a pal’s pub, looked tired as his 12-year marriage to wife Tess came to a bitter end. After a decree nisi three months ago the bibulous TV star, 64, returned to the High Court to thrash out continuing financial disagreements.

Paperwork revealed there was acrimony right until the end. Grounds for the divorce were his “unreasonable” and “abusive” behaviour, causing his wife to be “stressed and depressed”.

But there was also an unresolved squabble over costs, with Floyd – declared bankrupt in 2000 – refusing to pay the few hundred pounds. He claimed Tess’s mother had agreed to foot the bill. A court insider said: “That is still to be resolved.” 

When they split last year, Floyd went to France leaving Tess, 44, facing eviction from their home with a string of unpaid bills. She’d been without hot water for a month, had the phone cut off and couldn’t pay the mortgage. 

His agent Stan Green said: “When I last spoke to him he said he was poorly. He’s back at court to sort out the financial arrangements, the properties etc.” Floyd was rushed to hospital with “breathing difficulties” at the end of January. Having split with Tess last August, he said he was “exhausted” after spending Christmas in Thailand where he has a restaurant.

He was staying with old friend Glenn Geldard at his pub Chesters in Stoke when he fell ill.