This Morning presenter Ben Shephard has offered a rare glimpse into his private marriage with wife Annie, revealing the couple have experienced both highs and lows during their relationship. The TV star, who usually keeps his personal life out of the spotlight, spoke candidly about his long-term marriage in a recent interview.
Shephard, 49, met Annie when they were both 21 at his best friend's birthday party while he was studying at Birmingham University. He recalled that Annie supported him long before his television career took off, saying: 'Annie was with me way before I got into telly. She has been through everything with me, the highs and lows.'
The couple, who married in 2004, have two sons: Sam, 21, and Jack, 19. Shephard attributed the success of their marriage to patience and friendship. 'She's exceptionally patient. And I'm very patient with new shoes. What I really think is that we were great mates when we got together,' he told the Daily Mail.
Shephard also revealed that Annie values her alone time, describing her as 'much more solitary' than himself. 'Half the time she's like, 'I need a bit of space. Can you leave me alone for five seconds, please?'' he joked.
The presenter became emotional on This Morning last week while discussing Jack's 19th birthday. He told co-host Cat Deeley that a friend's message about holding Jack for the first time 19 years ago was 'quite a moment'. Shephard admitted he and Annie are struggling with their sons leaving home, but make plans to see Sam at university to avoid boredom.
