Jessica Simpson has revealed she knew her marriage to ex-husband Nick Lachey was over when she chose to spend their third wedding anniversary on a charity trip to Africa and he chose to stay at home.

Jessica, who is a spokesperson for Operation Smile which helps children with facial deformities, said recently: “I went there on our three-year wedding anniversary. He stayed home. On that day, everything became so clear.”

“I was in hospitals with all these sick kids, and I was looking at the beauty of this whole different world. I just knew I needed to find something more in my life - on my own.”

When Jessica returned home, she discussed the situation with Nick: “we realised that everything is not what we expected it to be, as hurtful as that may be.”

The previous-Newlyweds couple split up November last year with their divorce finalised in June.