Richard Madeley shares insight into ‘semi-detached’ life with wife Judy Finnigan after 40 years

When it comes to iconic British presenting duos, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, better known simply as Richard and Judy, remain one of television’s most enduring partnerships.

After marrying in 1986, the pair went on to launch and present ITV‘s This Morning from 1988 until 2001, before later fronting their own late-afternoon Channel 4 chat show, Richard & Judy.

Following their final programme together in 2009, the co-hosts largely went their separate ways professionally, although they have occasionally reunited for appearances on the This Morning sofa over the years.

While Judy stepped away from television to focus on other passions, including writing and journalism, Richard continued his broadcasting career and still regularly appears on ITV’s Good Morning Britain alongside Susanna Reid.

In his latest documentary, Richard Madeley: Inside the World’s Mega Prison, airing on Channel 5 at 9pm on Wednesday, Richard travels to El Salvador to explore one of the world’s most controversial maximum-security prisons.

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A ‘semi-detached’ life 

After 40 years of marriage, it’s perhaps no surprise that Richard and Judy have settled into a routine that works for them.

Speaking on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast, Judy explained: “I think working together for so long has bonded us more tightly than if we had two completely separate jobs. When [Richard] does GMB, I’m still here in bed, I’m happy to stay when he gets up, it doesn’t make any difference at all to our relationship.”

Meanwhile, Richard added: “We were bonded in our professional lives together, and now we’re not, but actually, here on the inside, we still are. I suppose we’re a bit semi-detached, but we’re not detached in the way that it might seem to outsiders.”

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The former co-hosts are also reported to own several properties, including their family home in north London and a coastal cottage in Talland Bay near Polperro, Cornwall.

Meet Richard and Judy’s family 

Richard and Judy were both married to other people when they first met in 1982 while working as journalists for Granada Television in Manchester. After separating from their respective partners, the pair went on to marry and welcome two children together, Jack, 40, and Chloe, 38.

Their blended family also includes Judy’s twin sons, Tom and Dan, both 49, from her first marriage to journalist David Henshaw.

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Reflecting on the prospect of becoming a stepfather to Judy’s eldest sons, Richard wrote in his book Fathers And Sons: “If I wanted Judy, it would be a package deal – and I had to be absolutely certain I could handle that. Was I really up to the job of stepfather? We both had our doubts.

“Was I mature enough to be a stepfather? Was it something I actually wanted? Did I have the patience to handle the situation if the boys resented my arrival in their lives? Had I fully grasped what I was taking on?

“As I stared into infinity, my mind, unbidden, made a soft, unmistakable clink. Like a computer fed a stream of complex information ending with a question mark, my subconscious had, in its own time, delivered its answer.

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“Of course I could be a stepfather to the twins. I already liked them and suddenly felt a surging confidence that I could love them, too. The practicalities could work themselves out.

“The most important thing was to put the happiness of the boys first. Judy already did that; if I followed suit, everything would fall into place.”