Nadia Sawalha marked her 19th wedding anniversary with Mark Adderley with a candid post about their marriage, describing it as "really really tough" and a "beautiful disaster."
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The Loose Women star took to Instagram to share a series of photos of the pair over the course of their relationship, including ones with their two daughters, Maddie and Kiki-Bee.
In the caption, Nadia wrote: "Nineteen years married today...We almost didn’t make it," before adding she wanted to be truthful about their marriage.
"So here’s the truth. Mark and I were always going to be together. I think we knew that the minute we met. We kind of crashed into each other really. At the time we were both so unhappy for very different reasons.
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"We were self medicating our feelings with bottles of booze and crazy behaviours. It’s a miracle we didn’t both snuff it in those first few months (we used to lie in the road blind drunk to ‘see what would happen' FFS).
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"The first few years of our marriage were really really tough. If I’m honest we were [expletive] miserable a lot of the time. Eventually after a whole heap of hell we came to the realisation that we were going to have to get on with the graft of making it work, because actually we loved each other and would have been as miserable as sin if we’d broken up.
"I don’t care what anyone says, a lasting relationship takes conscious effort. And we have actually worked our arses off to keep this relationship alive and fizzing. Couples counselling, staying when we’ve wanted to leave, listening when we’ve not wanted to, compromising when we’d rather have died!"
The Loose Women star shared a series of photos to mark their wedding anniversary
Nadia sweetly added that despite their difficulties, "I love Mark more than I ever have." She concluded by praising her husband and revealing "we saved each other."
"Our marriage in some ways is a beautiful disaster and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. My gorgeous man. A fabulous father to our beautiful girls. The most supportive loving husband. So smart, talented, and bonkers.
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"My life would have been a car crash without you. Everyone thinks I saved you, but we saved each other my darling. Love you till the day I die. Thank you..for being exactly the way you are."
Nadia and Mark on their wedding day in 2002
Her followers were quick to praise her candid confession, taking to the comments section to share their thoughts. Nadia's Loose Women co-star Denise Welch wrote: "A wonderful honest commentary from a real couple with a real love for each other. Happy anniversary."
"Love the honesty of this post just about as much as I love the pair of you! Xxx," another remarked, while a third even got emotional at Nadia's honesty: "Happy Anniversary and the best always! Your words made me cry."
The couple tied the knot in June 2002, with the bride wearing an off-the-shoulder dress that was visible in her latest post. She previously described it as "the most unconventional wedding ever", writing: "Me 'up the duff' - loads of @mark_adderley's exes being there... everyone being issued with a vodka miniature and rose tinted glasses at the ceremony... it was a HOOT!!!"
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