Lisa Faulkner reveals the secret to a happy marriage: 'We really fancy each other'
Lisa Faulkner has shared the secret to her happy marriage to TV chef John Torode, explaining that the couple "really fancy each other".
The actor and TV chef, 51, married the MasterChef judge in 2019, and has discussed the reasons she believes their partnership works so well.
"We really like and fancy each other," she told Mirror when asked about her relationship with Torode, 57.
"What I love about being married is that it’s about being a partnership. John and I are a good team. We know how to look after each other."
Faulkner, who presents John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen with Torode, went on to give an example about her husband's "caring" side, explaining how he knew what would cheer her up when she was having a bit of a down day.
“Last week, I was feeling a bit grumpy about my upcoming birthday, so John made me dinner," she explains. "Afterwards he bought me tea and chocolate, and when I went into the kitchen he had cleaned everything up, he lit candles, everything looked so beautiful, it’s those little things, he is just so caring.”
When asked if there is anything that annoyed her about her husband, Faulkner struggled to find anything, before admitting his tidiness did sometimes irk her.
“That can be annoying," she says. "I’m not a particularly tidy person."
"A prime example is the state of our freezer despite John’s efforts. He’ll open it up and go, ‘Oh my gosh I’m going to have to sort this out again.’”
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Elsewhere in the interview Faulkner offered some insight into being a step-parent amid the couple's blended family.
Faulkner and Torode share five children between them: Faulkner has an adopted daughter Billie, 16, she shares with her ex-husband Chris Coghill, while Torode has children, Jonah, 18, and Lulu, 16, with his ex-wife and grown-up sons Casper and Marselle, whom he shares with his first wife.
“Being a step-parent is like being a friend. John’s kids have two brilliant parents. My daughter has two parents, and that’s the point,” she says.
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Back in 2018, Faulkner opened up about her heartbreaking journey to motherhood, which saw her spend £35,000 on four rounds of failed IVF treatment, as well as suffering miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy.
Describing herself as a "walking mess" during the dark period, the former EastEnders actress told the Mirror: "All my friends at the time were getting pregnant around me and it was heartbreaking. You want to be happy for everybody and you feel like such a failure."
In October the couple celebrated their third wedding anniversary, having first met when Faulkner took part in BBC's Celebrity MasterChef in 2010 with Torode judging her food.
But it wasn't until 2015 that they went on their first official date, marrying four years later at Aynhoe Park, a Grade II listed building, in Northamptonshire in front of their guests which included Gregg Wallace and Amanda Holden.
Faulkner used her Instagram platform to mark the anniversary of their special day, sharing some shots of the wedding alongside a sweet tribute to her husband.
"Happy anniversary my @johntorodecooks … 3 wonderful years married to you," she wrote.
"What a beautiful wedding. Have sat and looked at our wedding video and the happiness in everyone's faces. You bring me so much joy. I love you so very much. Thank you for being my husband".
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It isn't the first time Faulkner has opened up about what makes her relationship with Torode so special. "I love being with him," she told HELLO! "We don't stop talking – chat, chat, chat. He's like my best mate."
Faulkner isn't the only one to share the secret to a happy marriage. Back in January Holly Willoughby revealed the sweet story of how she first fell in love with her husband, Dan Baldwin, and what she believes to be the key to making their relationship work.
Sharing how she and her husband first got together while working on children's TV, having become friends first.
She went on to say she believes having a strong friendship is a really good basis for a relationship.
"We have that friendship still now," she explains. "And we're very happy and I'm very blessed every day for having him in my life. But really, underpinning all of that with that real friendship and laughter and just having good times together, I think is the real secret to keeping things as they are, which is lovely."
