Ruth Dodsworth pays beautiful tribute to man who 'saved her life'

Ruth Dodsworth has thanked her husband for "stepping in and saving" us in a beautiful Father's Day tribute. The ITV presenter remarried and learned to love life again after spending years in a "living hell" being controlled by her ex-husband.

She described how her husband of three years had brought "kindness, love and laughter" to her life and taught her that "life is lovely".

Ruth has been rebuilding her life since 2021, when Cardiff Crown Court heard how her ex-husband Jonathan Wignall, 54, had made Ms Dodsworth's life a living hell after controlling every aspect of her life.

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The disgraced nightclub boss would frequently attend the studios where she was filming and on location, access her phone messages and mail, stop her from seeing friends and family and even had a tracker fitted to her car. It only came to an end one day when her children phoned warning her not to come home because he was going to kill her.

Her husband of 18 years had called her more than 150 times during that day and Ms Dodsworth turned to a friend who urged her to get the police involved. Since he was jailed, the presenter has made a new life for herself and her children with the help of her husband and in a poignant Father's Day message posted on X, she gave thanks for saving her life.

She said: "To the man who stepped in and saved us. Not just me. My son and my daughter. Who has shown us kindness, love and laughter. Who teaches us every day that life is lovely. It’s not just biology. #HappyFathersDay @CrimeRuraI I can never thank you enough."

Ruth has been working with the police since her ex-husband's trial in a bid to help officers recognise the signs, and pleaded with people to speak out if they were the victims of coercion.

Speaking about her new husband to ITV host Lorraine, Ms Dodsworth said before: "I am one of the lucky ones. He has been incredible and it is a learning experience. I have had to relearn 'normal life'. I had to relearn that it was OK if my friend rang, it is OK if I need to go somewhere for work. I can do these things, and he can trust me.

"I am lucky that I have family and friends around me. It doesn't end just because you get that conviction. But you can have a life. Everyone is entitled to have a happy life."