Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has spoken openly about his wife Hannah's battle with endometriosis, saying the condition "needs to be addressed" and admitting he was astonished by how little he knew about it before meeting her.
During an appearance on Davina McCall's Begin Again podcast, Du Beke discussed the impact of Hannah's diagnosis and why he believes more must be done to raise awareness. He married marketing executive Hannah Summers in 2017.
"Nobody talked about it"
Du Beke explained that he had never even heard of endometriosis before meeting his wife, despite considering himself well-informed about the world around him. He told Davina: "I find the whole thing staggering, and this is a subject for another day because I can talk about this for an hour and a half. It's also a thing that I never even knew existed before I met Hannah. I'm not an unintelligent man. I do keep my ears open. I know lots about lots of things. I'd never even heard the word endometriosis, not because I wasn't listening, because nobody talked about it."
Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body. It can cause severe pain, inflammation and fertility difficulties.
Debilitating symptoms and a "cruel" side effect
During the discussion, McCall highlighted how physically and emotionally challenging the condition can be, describing it as debilitating and painful. Du Beke agreed, outlining some of the symptoms Hannah has experienced and questioning why there is still so little understanding of the condition.
"It's debilitating. It is painful, huge, swelling, infertility problems. And what do we know about it? Not very much. This is something that needs to be addressed," he said.
He also highlighted the particularly cruel nature of some symptoms, explaining how endometriosis can cause swelling that makes sufferers look pregnant. "I know we're short on time, but the thing about endometriosis is that it's a bit perverse. It makes you, some of the side effects are, you get swelling, but in a unique way that makes you look like you're pregnant," he said.
McCall agreed, replying: "It's so cruel, isn't it?" Du Beke responded: "Isn't it? What's that? Mother Nature, can we have a chat about this?"
Fertility struggles and parenthood
The discussion also touched on the couple's journey to parenthood. The pair first met at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey in 2012 and subsequently welcomed twins George and Henrietta following IVF treatment. Du Beke had previously revealed that Hannah's condition had left her worried they might never have children together.
He had earlier spoken about their fertility struggles on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, explaining how difficult it had been to watch Hannah cope with the condition while they were trying to start a family. He recalled seeing her with her nephews and wondering why someone he considered so naturally suited to motherhood had been dealt such a difficult hand.
Du Beke described the diagnosis as "peculiar, cruel, and inexplicable and unforgivable", expressing his anger at the thought of Hannah suffering from the condition while also facing uncertainty over whether they would have children. He has continued to highlight the importance of greater awareness, making clear during his latest interview that the condition deserves far more attention and understanding.
