Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Du Beke devastated by wife's 'cruel' health diagnosis
Strictly judge Anton Du Beke has candidly discussed his wife's painful struggle with endometriosis and its impact on their ability to conceive.
The BBC star tied the knot with his marketing executive wife, Hannah Summers, in 2017, after first crossing paths at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey in 2012. The couple were blessed with twins George and Henrietta shortly after their wedding, thanks to IVF.
However, Anton, 58, confessed on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy mum Happy Baby podcast that Hannah was doubtful about their chances of having children due to her debilitating condition.
The professional dancer admitted he "couldn't understand the universe" after observing Hannah with her nephews before delving into their IVF journey.
He expressed: "I knew I wanted to be with her, I saw her with her nephews. She's so kind and so caring, I just couldn't understand the universe."
"And whoever is upstairs, if anyone's upstairs, looking down and going 'you are the most perfect person to have children, but I'm not going to let you have any children because I'm going to give you this'."
"And I'm going to say 'you're going to have this endometriosis, and you're going to suffer with this all of your life, chronically, and I'm not going to let you have any children."
"I thought that was peculiar, cruel, and inexplicable and unforgivable. And if ever I go up to somewhere and meet this person I would say 'I think you're not OK with decisions like this, this doesn't make any sense to me."
Anton has openly discussed how challenging he and his wife Hannah found the IVF process, yet it also strengthened their bond. The couple was fortunate as the treatment succeeded on their first try, leading to the birth of their twins, George and Henrietta, in 2017, with the pair tying the knot later that year.
In conversation with Giovanna, Anton revealed his prior ignorance about endometriosis and stressed the need for greater government investment in women's health.
Reflecting on the experience, he said: "Then we went through the process of IVF, well crying out loud. You girls are extraordinary. As much as I want to get involved, all I can do is hold your hand. It makes me emotional every time I talk about it. The injections, the stress, the anxiety. I have anxiety and stress but it's not my body."
"She has these injections and the bruises in the bum, in the thigh, in the stomach. And you're trying to help but what can you do? Whatever you want, tell me and I'll do it but that's all you have and it's horrendous as a man to watch it."
"You feel so inadequate and you want to do so much more but I can't do anything. And that's why you girls are so extraordinary, you're extraordinary that you do all this stuff."