FAREWELL! Ben Shephard insulted his wife of 20 years, Annie, in a saucy post

Ben Shephard is getting back to nature. Taking to Instagram on Saturday, the TV star posted from his country walk and poked fun at his beloved wife. Sharing a photo from their sun-soaked adventure, Ben, 50, joked that Annie was dressed as “Big Bird” in her bright yellow puffer coat, tagging her in the cheeky Instagram story.

The duo – who share sons Sam and Jack – have been spending a lot of time together outdoors, and recently enjoyed a trip to Devon. Following a well-deserved Christmas break, Ben and Annie travelled down south for the new year.

Revealing that they had been staying with Annie’s side of the family, Ben shared a carousel of holiday snaps on January 3. After spending time with loved ones, and making trips to the beach, the broadcaster said he was feeling “refreshed and ready to hit 2025” ahead of his return to This Morning.

Following their mini-break in Devon, Ben and Annie are likely back at their £4 million home in Richmond. The couple purchased the detached property in 2016 and has posted several photos of their cerulean living room, sprawling garden and light-filled conservatory.

Ben and Annie typically reside with their sons, Sam, 19, and Jack, 17, but as of 2024, they’ve been adjusting to a new family dynamic. As of September, Sam is attending university and has moved into student accommodation.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly last year, the father-of-two opened up about the milestone. “He actually starts lectures today. So he’s had his freshers. It was all very emotional,” Ben mused.

Reacting to a snapshot of Sam posing with his mum, Ben continued: “This was him and Annie, he’s in Bristol. She was better than I was to be fair, I was really, really emotional about it. He FaceTimed us this morning at 7.30 asking his mum how he does his washing. She (Annie) was thrilled. She’s still needed!”

Like Sam, Ben and Annie both studied at university, which is where they first met. After falling for one another in Birmingham, the pair married in 2004 and opted for a coastal wedding. They chose a private island near the small village of Bigbury-on-Sea for their big day, with The Burgh Island Hotel serving as their venue.

With 20 years of marriage under his belt, Ben couldn’t be more grateful to Annie, who has stood by him throughout his career. Speaking about their relationship on the White Wine Question Time podcast, Ben told Kate Thornton: “We met at university – so you knew Annie when I just got into the telly – and I was sort of a mere puppy when it came to the world of broadcasting media.

“She has been through all this with me – the highs and the lows of all that experience. And she is still here, somehow is still putting up with me which to this day, I can’t quite believe that I am extraordinarily lucky.”

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