Johnny Vegas has shared a rare insight into his relationship with his long-term girlfriend Vikki Jones after he quit stand-up comedy to focus on his antiques business. The 54-year-old funnyman has been dating the art gallery owner for three years, but has kept their relationship out of the public eye for most of that time.
Working Together for Quality Time
Now Vikki has started working in his shop in Cheshire, which features on the Quest show Johnny Vegas' Little Shop Of Antiques, so that they could "spend more quality time together". They also work with Johnny's "long suffering" childhood friend Bev. In a new interview, Johnny opened up about working together, saying: "They say never work with your partner, but it’s great. She and Bev make fun of me most of the time."
Privacy and Past Relationships
He insisted that he never intentionally kept their relationship private, telling The Times: "I wasn’t keeping it under cover, but I don’t share much about it on social media." The Benidorm star was previously married to Kitty Donnelly from 2002 to 2008, and they share son Michael, who is now an adult. He then wed Maia Dunphy in 2011, before they divorced in 2020, and they are parents to son Tom, 11.
Why He Quit Stand-Up Comedy
Johnny said much of his decision to pursue a new career path came after stand-up comedy 'took its toll.' He added: "Stand-up was great, but it was manic. The nerves took their toll. Never say never, but I just see that as a project that needs to rest."
His Antiques Business Venture
Johnny described his business venture as "collectable things of all sorts, really." He said: "I have a very dangerous bit of knowledge on lots of things. I couldn’t tell you about 18th-century furniture or anything, but I have to think I like it and hopefully I have an eye for this stuff." He admitted he feared that customers would visit the shop just for a selfie, saying: "It’ll be an interesting experiment to see if people come in not just to see me."
