Veteran television presenter Richard Madeley has opened up about the heartfelt reason he and his wife Judy Finnigan sleep in separate bedrooms after nearly four decades of marriage.
The Reason Behind the Sleeping Arrangements
The 69-year-old Good Morning Britain host discussed their unconventional sleeping arrangements during a candid appearance on Kate Thornton's White Wine Question Time podcast. Madeley revealed that when he's presenting the ITV breakfast show, he opts to sleep in the spare room to ensure his wife gets a proper night's rest.
The early 6am broadcasting schedule for Good Morning Britain means Richard needs to rise considerably earlier than Judy, who stepped back from television ten years ago. "When I'm doing Good Morning Britain I sleep in the spare room," Richard shared. "I do probably sleep a little bit better in bed with Judy but I'm okay on my own."
A Different Dynamic from Their This Morning Days
The couple's current sleeping arrangement marks a significant change from their days co-hosting This Morning and later their own Channel 4 programme, Richard and Judy. During those years, both would wake simultaneously to travel together to the studio in Liverpool or London's Southbank.
Richard contrasted his situation with fellow breakfast presenter Amol Rajan, who claims he sleeps better next to his wife despite having four children under seven. "Amol Rajan's wife must be a saint," Richard remarked humorously.
When asked if he'd considered simply waking Judy up early instead of sleeping separately, Richard was adamant: "I wouldn't think of doing that to Judy. Apart from anything else, Judy and her sleep, you do not mess with."
A Partnership Spanning Decades
Richard and Judy first met in 1982 while both were married to other people and working on separate programmes for Granada TV. Richard famously recalls hearing about Judy "dicing [an executive] into small cubes with her tongue" after he made a sexist comment, prompting Richard to think, "wow – I'm going to marry her."
The couple exchanged vows exactly 39 years ago on November 21 in Manchester. They are parents to Jack and Chloe Madeley, while Richard also acts as stepfather to Judy's two older sons, Dan and Tom Henshaw, from her first marriage.
Richard recently revealed on Matt Willis's On the Mend podcast that Judy initially questioned whether he could handle becoming a stepfather, making it clear she came as a "three-pack" with her twins. Richard took a two-week solo holiday to Greece to reflect deeply on the commitment before realizing he felt "quite comfortable" accepting a role in the boys' upbringing.
Judy has been enjoying her time away from the spotlight since stepping back from television a decade ago, while Richard continues his presenting duties on Good Morning Britain alongside Susanna Reid.
