In the first case of the Court of Appeal adjudicating over the settlement of a same-sex partnership, actor Don Gallagher, who played Bernadette on stage in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, was ordered to give up £300,000 to ex-partner Peter Lawrence, a City high-flier.

The judgment follows a legal battle between wealthy equity analyst Mr Lawrence, 47, and the actor, 54, who despite entering the relationship with assets of just £40,000, was awarded £1.7m of the couple's £4m assets, in part because of his contribution to maintaining a "lovely home".

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