JAMES Haskell joked he has “court battles to come” and called himself “single” as he spoke out over his split with Chloe Madeley.
The ex-England rugby ace, 38, jibed he was “gonna need” his public school education to charm any potential new lovers.
It came after he confirmed his separation from the daughter of GMB presenter Richard Madeley last weekend.
Haskell insisted he was “100 per cent committed” to the couple’s 14-month-old daughter Bohdi, branding the breakup with personal trainer Chloe, 36, “a kerfuffle”.
Speaking alongside royal pal Mike Tindall at a live version of his The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast on Wednesday night, Haskell said: “So for those of you who don’t know, my missus and I are separated.
“We’re separated but we’re committed 100 per cent to my daughter
“It’s obviously a complicated time and we have to play it out in front of the media.
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“Because I haven’t said anything, people fill that void and fill that silence.
“And obviously this week, in the last sort of three or four weeks, there’s been lots of conjecture.”
Haskell went on to make a series of references to the split throughout the two-and-a-half hour show.
In one skit, mocking ex-teammates’ drink choices, Haskell joked: “Rum and milk? Is he a prostitute from 1835?
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“I think Jack the Ripper killed someone with a gin and milk.
“Sweeney Todd cuts up his heroin… good references, educated, public school, don’t worry. Quadruple threat.
“I’m gonna need it now I’m single. I’m joking. “Not really though.”
And in another apparent reference he called Princess Anne’s son-in-law Mike Tindall, 45, “Honest Mike”, adding: “We don’t really argue, which is interesting.
“Imagine, we’ve been under a different few different guises.
“We’ve had some court battles, have some court battles to come with a few other bits and things.”
Haskell also joked he needed a lawyer mate for “business” following the split.
The legendary third row, capped 77 times between 2007 and 2019, also revealed ex-England coach Eddie Jones was the first person to text him following the split.
Haskell told the crowd: “Actually, bizarrely after this current situation, let’s call it a kerfuffle, he was one of the first people to message me.
“Just like ‘Mate, how are you mate?’, ‘Just checking in, are you ok’.”
It comes after Haskell was slammed over a poor-taste joke comparing a rugby coach to 9/11 while recording the podcast.
We first told how Chloe and James had secretly split in September – just over a year after the birth of their first daughter, Bodhi.
The pair tied the knot in December 2018 after a four-year romance.
In a joint statement, Chloe said: “James and I mutually decided to separate at the end of September 2023.
“We had not planned on releasing a statement at this time – certainly not while the television show was airing – but constant speculation about our marriage has, unfortunately, forced our hand.
“Beyond this statement, we will not be speaking about this matter publicly, and we would request privacy at this time.
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“Our sole focus now is our beautiful daughter. We shall continue to co-parent with nothing but love.”
