Sean Penn: 'Guy Ritchie is back!'

Rex Features

Sean Penn has suggested that Guy Ritchie's career is on the rise now that he is divorcing Madonna.

Penn, who was married to the singer for four years, made the claim at Thursday's Britannia Awards ceremony in Century City, where he accepted the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award For Excellence in Film.

"What's my 'British' thing to say? Guy Ritchie is back!" he said.

Since divorcing Madonna in 1989, Penn has enjoyed continued success in Hollywood, including a 2003 Best Actor Oscar for his role in Mystic River.