‘The sad irony is she’s an incredible mum who couldn’t have children’: Anton Du Beke details wife Hannah’s gruelling IVF journey to welcome twins
Anton Du Beke reflected on his fertility struggles with wife Hannah as he detailed their ‘boot camp’ style IVF journey.
The ballroom professional, 56, became a father for the first time in March 2017 when he and his wife, 46, welcomed twins, George and Henrietta, after Hannah’s long-term struggle with endometriosis.
Speaking about parenthood on the Parenting Hell podcast, the Strictly judge revealed that Hannah is ‘practically perfect’ and the ‘most incredible mum’ calling the fact she couldn’t conceive naturally ‘the saddest irony.’
Proud parents: Anton Du Beke reflected on his fertility struggles with wife Hannah as he detailed their ‘boot camp’ style IVF journey (pictured with twins George and Henrietta in 2020)
He explained: ‘She’s everything I thought she would be. I thought she’d be an excellent mum, always knew she’d be a great mum but she couldn’t have children.
‘I thought isn’t it funny how nature works in mysterious ways – the person I thought would be an incredible mum couldn’t have children – that’s the sad irony of it all.
‘But as we had IVF we were able to have them in the end and I’m thrilled for me – because I’d have 100 [kids] by the way because I love them – but I’m thrilled for Hannah because she is amazing at it.’
Cute couple: The Strictly judge revealed that Hannah is ‘practically perfect’ and the ‘most incredible mum’ calling the fact she couldn’t conceive naturally ‘the saddest irony’
In-vitro fertilisation, known as IVF, is a medical procedure in which a woman has an already-fertilised egg inserted into her womb to become pregnant.
Discussing the process, she continued: ‘We were enormously fortunate as we had one go but it was sort of boot camp, we were hardcore at it so it was really hard on Hannah – blood tests, injections very day – it’s really difficult.’
Anton added: ‘It’s wonderful that it happened.
‘Hannah had endometriosis and it’s something not spoken about much and I think she should talk about it – sharing is caring.’
It’s believed that 10 percent of women suffer from endometriosis – a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places – causing pain and/or infertility.
Elsewhere in the chat, Anton revealed that having two children does mean the house ends up being filled with toys, as he recalled: ‘Hannah and the children went away for a week. I was working so stayed here.
‘ I got a skip in the drive because the children’s room I couldn’t see the floor and the garage I couldn’t even get in, it was so full of c**p.’
Adorable: The ballroom professional, 56, became a father for the first time in March 2017 when he and his wife, 46, welcomed twins after Hannah’s long-term struggle with endometriosis
Anton continued: ‘So I went in and turfed it all out, I did a bit of tidying up so it looked like I’d just tidied. I literally filled the skip was stuff and they came back and nobody noticed!
‘The suggestion we’ve got too much stuff springs to mind and I’m on the verge of doing it again.’
Anton, who met his wife at a golf club in 2011 and ‘knew almost immediately that he loved her’, also made a cheeky dig at his wife when asked if she shares his smart dress sense.
He quipped: ‘Yes, to a degree. She’s less, sort of, you know… Hannah’s a bit more “from the country” than I am, so she has a bit more of the… what’s the expression? Functional. Oh, that sounds like Agent Provocateur meets Millets.’