Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has candidly opened up about his wife Hannah Summers' battle with endometriosis, describing her diagnosis as 'unforgivable' and revealing the profound impact it had on their journey to parenthood. The couple, who married in 2017, welcomed twins George and Henrietta through IVF shortly after their wedding.
Anton's Emotional Revelation on Podcast
In a deeply personal interview on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, the 60-year-old dancer shared his anguish over Hannah's debilitating condition. He recalled seeing Hannah with her nephews and feeling a sense of injustice, stating: 'I knew I wanted to be with her, I saw her with her nephews. She's so kind and so caring, I just couldn't understand the universe.'
Anton went on to express his anger at what he perceived as a cruel twist of fate: 'And whoever is upstairs, if anyone's upstairs, looking down and going "you are the most perfect person to have children, but I'm not going to let you have any children because I'm going to give you this." And I'm going to say "you're going to have this endometriosis, and you're going to suffer with this all of your life, chronically, and I'm not going to let you have any children." I thought that was peculiar, cruel, and inexplicable and unforgivable.'
IVF Journey and Bond Strengthened
Despite the challenges, the couple were fortunate enough to succeed on their very first IVF attempt, welcoming twins George and Henrietta in 2017 before tying the knot later that same year. Anton spoke emotionally about the IVF process, praising his wife's strength: 'Then we went through the process of IVF, well crying out loud. You girls are extraordinary. As much as I want to get involved, all I can do is hold your hand. It makes me emotional every time I talk about it. The injections, the stress, the anxiety. I have anxiety and stress but it's not my body.'
He added: 'She has these injections and the bruises in the bum, in the thigh, in the stomach. And you're trying to help but what can you do? Whatever you want, tell me and I'll do it but that's all you have and it's horrendous as a man to watch it. You feel so inadequate and you want to do so much more but I can't do anything. And that's why you girls are so extraordinary, you're extraordinary that you do all this stuff.'
Call for Greater Investment in Women's Health
During the conversation, Anton also revealed his former lack of understanding about endometriosis and stressed the urgent need for greater government investment in women's health. He described the condition as 'unforgivable' and expressed hope that more awareness would lead to better support for women suffering from the disease.
Endometriosis affects approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, causing chronic pain and fertility issues. Anton's candid remarks have shone a light on the emotional and physical toll of the condition, as well as the challenges of IVF treatment.
