TV presenter Sarah Beeny has spoken candidly about her 24-year marriage to artist husband Graham Swift, following her battle with breast cancer. The 54-year-old mother of four was diagnosed in 2022 and underwent a double mastectomy, reconstruction, and later removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes. She was told the cancer was gone the same year, describing herself as 'lucky' to have been diagnosed in time.
In a recent interview, Beeny addressed comments made on a podcast in 2024, where she appeared to suggest her cancer ordeal had strained her marriage. She clarified that her remark about 'hanging by a thread' was taken out of context and meant as a joke. 'There have been bumps in the road in 34 years,' she said, adding that she and Graham are 'fine' and not divorcing.
Beeny acknowledged that her children sometimes witness arguments, but emphasised that disagreements are normal in any relationship. 'There are days when I don't fancy him and divorce seems like a good idea,' she admitted. 'But the next minute they see us in the garden holding hands and they know we love each other.' She credited her husband's humour and good looks for maintaining their spark.
Despite her own long marriage, Beeny is relaunching her pioneering dating website MySingleFriend with a 'video-first' approach. The idea originally came to her while trying to set up friends. She has used her sons as test subjects, noting that a video can quickly reveal compatibility. 'How much easier would it have been if he'd been able to watch a video of her?' she said of her eldest son's date.
Beeny reflected on her unconventional upbringing in Hampshire, where she lost her mother at age 10 and lived a semi-off-grid life with her architect father. She now lives in Somerset with her family, having converted a former dairy farm into a modern home. Always busy, she admits she is 'endlessly dissatisfied' but thrives on challenges, saying, 'It's my drug.'
