Ben Shephard has shared a rare photo of his wife, Annie, to mark their 22nd wedding anniversary, describing her as the "best thing to ever happen to me". The This Morning presenter, 51, posted the tribute on social media, reflecting on their long marriage and the moment she agreed to marry him.
In the anniversary post, Ben revealed that Annie said "oh go on then" 22 years ago, adding that it took him nine years to propose. He wrote: "She’s still the best thing to happen to me. Followed closely by Mark Noble (obvs)." The message drew support from celebrity friends, including Joel Dommett, who called it "THE BEST", and co-star Cat Deeley, who wrote: "'Oh go on then' The Marvelous Mrs Sheps."
The couple met as students at the University of Birmingham and married in 2004 in Salcombe, Devon. They share two sons, Sam, 21, and Jack, 19. Ben is usually private about his home life, but recently gave fans a glimpse into their relationship, explaining that Annie prefers her own company and works in garden and interior design.
Despite living "quite separate lives", Ben stressed that Annie is the "most important factor" in their family. The couple are now preparing to become empty-nesters, as Jack works as a teaching assistant before travelling and Sam studies maths at university.
