Osborne had a turbulent nine-year marriage to the actress Jill Bennett, whom he came to loathe. Their marriage degenerated into mutual abuse and insult with Bennett goading Osborne, calling him "impotent" and "homosexual" in public as early as 1971. This was cruelty which Osborne reciprocated, turning his feelings of bitterness and resentment about his waning career onto his wife. Bennett's suicide in 1990 is generally believed to have been a result of Osborne's rejection of her. He said of Bennett, "She was the most evil woman I have come across", and showed open contempt for her suicide.