Richard Madeley has opened up about the breakdown of his first marriage, admitting he blames himself for the split because he was simply too young and immature.
The television presenter, known for his work on This Morning and Good Morning Britain, was married to Lynda in 1977 when he was just 21 years old. He described her as “young, bubbly and pretty” and revealed they met while he worked at BBC Radio Carlisle and she lived in the flat below his.
Too Young to Marry
Speaking to The Guardian in 2024, Richard said: “We went on a date and I clung to that relationship like a limpet. I was young, headstrong and romantic, and I talked her into marrying me.” However, the marriage ended in divorce, and Richard has since reflected on what went wrong.
During an appearance on Matt Willis’ podcast, On The Mend, Richard said: “I certainly blame myself for the failure of my first marriage because I got married… I simply got married too young. I was way too optimistic.” He added: “21; it’s just ridiculous. It’s too young, and it was very unfair on my first wife, Lynda, because I wasn’t ready for it, and I was simply not mature enough.”
Finding Love Again
Richard later found love with Judy Finnigan, whom he met when he joined her at Granada as a news presenter. Judy recalled their first meeting: “I remember the first time I saw him. He walked into the newsroom and I was sitting at my desk at the other end. I remember exactly what he was wearing: a pale blue linen suit. I thought he looked nice. Tall, handsome and all that but I thought the suit was a bit flash. Then, because he was a newbie, I was assigned the job of looking after him.”
Richard and Judy married in 1986 and have been together ever since, with two children, Chloe and Jack. Richard continues to appear on Good Morning Britain on ITV1.
