Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary this month, but their love story began over two decades ago.
The married couple first met in 1997 when their mutual friend, TV presenter Sally Meen, introduced them in London, while Belfast-born Eamonn was a GMTV host.
Just two years prior, Eamonn, now aged 63, had split from his first wife, Gabrielle Holmes, who is the mother of his three eldest children, Declan, Rebecca and Niall.
READ MORE: Eamonn Holmes has cheeky jibe at Ruth Langsford as he fumes over 'cruel' sleeping arrangements
Despite sparks flying, the dad-of-three was keen to keep his new relationship with Ruth on the down-low, so he refused to hold hands in public or attend events together.
But this thoughtful and respectful act just made Ruth, also 63, fall harder for her future husband. She told the Daily Mail in 2017: "I thought it spoke volumes about the sort of man he was, the sort of father he was and the integrity he had. It made me love him more, not less."
In 2002, their son Jack arrived and in 2005, Eamonn divorced Gabrielle. Then four years later, him and Ruth began co-hosting This Morning on ITV.
In 2010, Eamonn made a rather impromptu proposal in an unusual manner after spotting some men flirting with Ruth at Cheltenham Races.
"We were at the races in a box with some people and I'd had a few drinks and had won a bit on the horses and was having a lovely time," explained Ruth on Loose Women in 2018.
"Eamonn had gone out to the loo and when he came back, there were men in the box with us flirting and chatting to me, and he said: 'I don't like that them flirting with my wife.'
"And then he went: 'Actually, she's not my wife. She should be my wife.' We had been together 14 years by then. 'Why is she not my wife? Why haven't I done this?'"
Realising what he wanted to do, Eamonn went out and composed a "beautiful" long love letter to Ruth, then dragged her out of the box.
The couple were in the backseat of a car being driven home when Eamonn repeatedly asked Ruth if her phone was beeping.
Ruth thought nothing of it but after Eamonn's protests, she eventually checked her phone - and initially believed he had sent her a "saucy message", but it was actually a beautiful declaration of his love.
Ruth continued: "I opened it and then there was this beautiful letter. Right at the end it said: 'Will you marry me?'
"Because we didn't know this driver I text him back saying: 'Yes please.' Then we sat holding hands all the way home and it was really romantic."
The loved-up pair got married in a lavish ceremony in June 2010 at Elvetham Hall, Hampshire, in front of all their family and friends.
Talking about their solid bond while she was taking part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, Ruth said: "Eamonn will be the first to take the mick out of me, but he will also be the first to floor me with his thoughtfulness."
She added: "I'm giving him zero attention but I know he won't be thinking that. He just gets it. He gets me. That's why we work."
Though, the pair have admitted their relationship isn't perfect and they've had their fair share of rows, including some on-screen, over 'rubbish' presents and even bacon.
"I would say laughter is what keeps us together. Eamon's very good actually. We have a very equal relationship, it's very equal in our marriage," Ruth said in 2020.
"People will say, 'who wears the trousers?' well nobody. You find your way, he's not the boss and I'm not the boss – in modern relationships that's probably how it should be."
Even when they argue at work, the duo always make up and go home together at the end of the day - where they express their love for each other.
"Eamonn is my biggest fan and always makes me feel really sexy," Ruth previously told the Mirror.
"When I think I'm at my slimmest he thinks I'm too thin. He likes me curvy – he loves boobs, bottoms and legs. I'm really lucky because it would be awful to have a man who commented on me piling on the pounds."
For Eamonn, he has said that he 'led a very sheltered Catholic life' before meeting Ruth and has been open about what floats his boat.
When he needed a hip replacement in 2016, he blamed Ruth and their hearty sex life for his op.
He told the Mirror: "I'm facing a two-week double hip operation, she wore them out, she's got to help wear them in."
Ruth comically added: "The doctor says no hanky panky and no strong exercise."
Their sex life sadly took a hit when Ruth went through the menopause, but she credited Eamonn with keeping the flame alive with his unfailing desire.
"I still feel sexy but a lot of that is because my husband makes me feel sexy," she told The Sun's Fabulous magazine.
"I don't walk around all day going, 'I'm too sexy for my skirt' but Eamonn loves me and will tell me I'm gorgeous."
She continued: "If you're tired and you've put on weight that's not conducive to feeling like a sex kitten, but you can have a healthy sex life after the menopause."
Ruth has remained largely quiet and private in recent times about their relationship, after Eamonn's very vocal comments about Phillip Scofield's affair.
But on Father's Day, she paid tribute to her 'wonderful' husband on Instagram, and said: "Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Dads out there, especially @eamonnholmes."
