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Who is Theresa May’s husband Philip May? What can we expect from their joint interview on The One Show tonight?

It was The One Show wot won it.

That’s what Theresa May will be hoping when she appears on the BBC1 programme’s sofa tonight, ahead of the general election on June 8.

But the Prime Minister will not be alone.

Seated next to her will be her husband, Philip May, which ordinarily wouldn’t be too much of a surprise.

However, he has kept such a low profile during her time as Conservative leader that tonight’s broadcast will be the nation’s first opportunity to see the couple together.

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So what do we know about Philip May?

Theresa May and her husband, Philip (Picture: Rex)
Theresa May and her husband, Philip (Picture: Rex)

He is stepping in front of the TV cameras this evening in an attempt to show the softer side of the PM.

Born in Norwich in 1957, Mr May’s father John was a shoe salesman and his mother Joy a French teacher.

He attended Lincoln College at Oxford University and graduated with a degree in history.

The couple will appear on The One Show tonight (Picture: Rex)
The couple will appear on The One Show tonight (Picture: Rex)

City financier Philip, 59, stayed in the shadows while his wife rose through the ranks of the Conservative Party as councillor, MP, chairman, cabinet minister and leader.

However, he shares her passion for politics and has provided a sounding board for her ideas.

During his student days, he was elected president of the Oxford Union, a springboard for many future ministers.

The Mays have been married for 36 years (Picture: Rex)
The Mays have been married for 36 years (Picture: Rex)

The couple, who have been married for 36 years, met at an Oxford University student disco in 1976, reportedly introduced to one another by the future prime minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto.

They bonded over a shared love of cricket and belief in Conservative politics, and married in 1980 in the Oxfordshire church of Mrs May’s father, an Anglican vicar.

After graduating, the then Theresa Brasier took a job with the Bank of England, while her future husband went into finance.

A brief spell as chairman of the Wimbledon Conservative Association was his only foray into politics as he built a lucrative career as a fund manager at stockbroker de Zoete & Bevan and Prudential Portfolio Managers.

He currently handles client relationships for US fund manager Capital Group.

Mrs May has said Philip was her ‘rock’ when she lost both parents within months of each other a year into their marriage, her father in a car crash and her mother from illness.

She has also spoken publicly about their regrets at being unable to have children, stating in an interview: ‘You look at families all the time and you see there is something there that you don’t have.’

As an investment relationship manager, Mr May should be able to negotiate any tricky questioning that does come up on The One Show from presenters Matt Baker and Alex Jones.

Mrs May reportedly wants viewers to see what motivates her by taking part in the joint interview.