Anton Du Beke has opened up about the transformative impact of fatherhood after welcoming twins at the age of 50. The Strictly Come Dancing icon, who’s now 58, is father to seven-year-old twins—George and Henrietta—with spouse Hannah Summers.
While the happy family now reside in Buckinghamshire, their journey there was far from simple. Anton shared that a harsh health condition has tormented Hannah for years, casting doubts over her ability to conceive.
During a heart-to-heart on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, Anton disclosed that Hannah suffers from endometriosis – a condition where cells similar to those in the womb grow elsewhere in the body.
This not only threatens fertility but can also give rise to severe menstrual pain, heavy periods and various other distressing symptoms. “I knew I wanted to be with her, I saw her with her nephews,” Anton said, according to Birmingham Live.
“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’.”
The couple tied the knot back in 2017 following a six-year romance, with Hannah astonishingly conceiving only three months into IVF treatment. Anton put a spotlight on his immediate connection with Hannah during an appearance on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch, revealing: “I knew almost immediately that I loved her. She also loved me immediately, although I was holding a bottle of wine!”
If you’re concerned you might have endometriosis, the NHS asserts that it’s important to visit a GP. This is especially the case if your symptoms impact your day-to-day life.
Below, is a summary of the NHS’ list of potential endometriosis warning signs:
- Persistent low moods or anxiety
- Pain during or after sex
- Extreme fatigue
- Heavy periods that require toy to change pads or tampons every one to two hours
- Pain in your lower stomach or back
- Intense period pain that prevents you from doing ‘normal’ day-to-day tasks and activities
- Facing difficulties getting pregnant
- Pain when going to the toilet