Model Abbey Clancy has shared the hilarious yet cringe-worthy story of how a carefully planned Valentine's Day surprise for her husband, former footballer Peter Crouch, ended in disaster. The 40-year-old revealed that she dressed in skimpy lingerie from Agent Provocateur, covering up with a Burberry mac coat, intending to surprise Crouch during a romantic evening at home.
The Unfortunate Turn of Events
However, the plan quickly unraveled when Peter, 45, surprised her first by inviting a chef to their home to cook a special meal. Speaking on their popular podcast, The Therapy Crouch, Abbey explained: "That was the worst surprise ever because I got a gorgeous outfit from Agent Provocateur and just put it on with a coat on top."
She continued: "And Pete was like 'Surprise! We've got a chef'. So I had to just wear my coat for the whole dinner at home. I had to wear my coat for the whole meal in my own house and I was literally sweating because I was so worried."
Awkward Dinner Conversation
Throughout the meal, Peter kept asking Abbey if she was hot in her coat, unaware of the lingerie underneath. "Yeah, I was. That was highly embarrassing and he kept asking 'Aren't you hot in that coat?'" Abbey recalled.
Peter eventually realized why his wife wouldn't remove her coat, but by then it was too late to ask the chef to leave without appearing rude. The former England striker admitted: "He wouldn't go away as well. You know when they come over and they want to explain the meal. It's like 'p*** off mate, will you'. I want to see what's underneath."
Valentine's Day Pressure
The mother-of-four added that Valentine's nights at home can be just as romantic as going out, and couples shouldn't feel pressured on February 14. "That is nice, to stay in, if you can ship the kids off. There's just so much pressure sometimes, love doesn't cost a thing," she said.
Peter agreed, noting: "There's so much pressure now because of Instagram, you compare everything." The couple revealed they don't exchange expensive gifts, preferring "just a nice card and flowers, I think that's enough."
Previous Mac Mishaps
This wasn't the first time Abbey had used the Burberry mac tactic. She revealed she once picked up Peter from training wearing nothing but the designer trench coat to persuade him to come home. Peter admitted the strategy "worked very well."
On their podcast, Peter had previously joked about simple surprises: "It's easy to surprise me - very much so. If I came home and you had no clothes on. It'd be the best surprise ever. It's so simple - all you have to do is just not wear any clothes."
Past Surprise Disasters
However, Abbey's attempts at surprising Peter haven't always gone smoothly. She recalled hiring a stripper for one of his birthdays, which proved equally disastrous. "He went ballistic. I got him a roly-poly-o-gram and he went mad. A larger stripper - and he went mental that everyone was looking at him, so told her instantly to leave. She didn't even take one sock off," Abbey explained.
Peter, who was playing for Liverpool and England at the time, described the scene: "We were in a restaurant in Liverpool with loads of random people and all of a sudden this stripper turned up, starts gyrating. Everyone started filming. I was like 'I'm sorry, but I can't do this'. So I just gave her some cash and said 'Can you leave?' I was so mortified by the whole situation."
The couple's candid revelations on their podcast continue to entertain listeners with their honest take on marriage, romance, and the humorous mishaps that come with trying to keep the spark alive after years together and four children.
