Ben Shephard has celebrated a special milestone with his wife Annie, marking 22 years since he popped the question.
The This Morning presenter, 51, shared a throwback snap on Instagram from their early days together, reflecting on their long courtship.
His caption read: "So 22 yrs ago today @mrsannieshephard said 'oh go on then', and that was that! It took me nine years to finally ask her to be my wife, but she remains the best thing to happen to me."
The couple’s story began in the 1990s when both were students at the University of Birmingham.
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Ben Shephard shared the sweet update to his personal Instagram page
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Annie, whose maiden name is Perks, made a lasting impression on Mr Shephard, though it would be nearly a decade before he proposed in Paris.
They married in Salcombe, Devon, in 2004.
Together, they have built a family, welcoming two sons: Sam, 21, and Jack, 19.
Ms Shephard has largely stayed out of the spotlight, focusing on raising their children and her career in interior design.
Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley are the main hosts of the ITV daytime show This Morning
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The Instagram post drew warm reactions from friends and fans.
This Morning co-star Cat Deeley called Annie "The Marvelous Mrs Sheps."
Podcast partner Joel Dommett declared the tribute "THE BEST," (sic).
Fans also noted how young the couple looked in the snap, with comments such as "Those baby faces!"
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Mr Shephard added a playful nod to his beloved West Ham, joking that Ms Shephard was "followed closely by Mark Noble" in his affections.
Now preparing to become empty nesters, the couple are embracing changes in their home life.
Eldest Sam is studying maths at university, while Jack works as a teaching assistant to save for travels.
Mr Shephard recently told Weekend magazine he and his wife "live quite separate lives," with him pursuing work and physical activities, and Ms Shephard enjoying art galleries and gardens.
Rather than seeing this as a problem, the presenter said they are excited to find activities they can enjoy together.
The sweet milestone comes amid a cloud of minor controversies surrounding the presenter in recent months.
Mr Shephard has been at the centre of several on-air and production-related disputes, mainly relating to his presenting on ITV’s This Morning.
Reports in March 2026 highlighted "troubling" on-air behaviour, with insiders claiming the usually "Mr Nice Guy" host had adopted a tougher line of questioning that made PR agents wary of booking guests.
Ben Shephard and Annie Shephard recently celebrated 22 years together
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Such incidents included a notably sharp exchange with Stacey Solomon about her marriage and missing wedding ring.
Previous incidents included viewer backlash over his comments during a pink tax debate in September 2025.
This kicked off during a live phone-in joke calling Nick Ferrari an "antique tool" in November 2025, as well as an "offensive" remark during a "dog lookalike" segment in June 2025, all prompting apologies.
Production-related headlines followed, with his reality series The Summit delayed from 2025 to 2026 due to filming interruptions in New Zealand, a one-off return to Good Morning Britain in December 2025, and a major This Morning studio revamp in Covent Garden with Cat Deeley in January 2026.
Despite the controversies, ITV has insisted they remain "very happy" with the presenting lineup.
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