holly willoughby dan

Holly Willoughby opens up about husband Dan Baldwin's 'shock' bath proposal

The couple had just moved into their new home

Deputy Lifestyle Editor
May 10, 2022

Holly Willoughby and Dan Baldwin tend to keep a low profile when it comes to their relationship, so very little is known about their engagement.

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What we do know, however, is that producer Dan's proposal came as a shock to the This Morning star. Holly, 41, made some rare comments about the moment the 47-year-old got down on one knee back in 2006, revealing she was in the bath at the time!

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The couple – who now share children Harry, Belle and Chester – had just moved into their London home together earlier in the day. "I know a lot of people almost have to force their boyfriend to propose but with Dan it was such a shock," she told The Mirror back in 2007.

MORE: Holly Willoughby models three wedding rings – just like these royals

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Dan seems to have presented Holly with a round cut diamond on a platinum band when he popped the question. Photos since then have revealed she has added a wedding ring and an eternity band, both of which are studded with diamonds. 

Holly wears a solitaire engagement ring, a wedding band and an eternity ring

"I knew I'd be with him for the rest of my life, if he'd have me, but nothing can ever prepare you for what it's like when someone asks you.

"I can't think of any other big decision you make in your life that quickly," Holly added, explaining that they then began to discuss having a family.

"Suddenly they're not just someone you're in love with, they become part of your family," she said. "And you can talk about kids and stuff without sounding like a scary person. I know he is going to be the father of my kids - that's weird!"

The presenter recycled her wedding dress for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding in 2011

It is widely thought that Holly and Dan met in 2004 on the ITV children's show Ministry of Mayhem, but the pair had actually been introduced briefly before – although the meeting didn't go particularly well. 

They first crossed paths backstage at a Travis concert, but she said Dan was "really, really drunk" at the time.

Needless to say, their second meeting went well and they went on to get married on 4 August 2007 at St Michael's Church before hosting their wedding reception at Amberley Castle, a 900-year-old castle on the South Downs in West Sussex. 

Holly looked beautiful in an ivory dress overlaid with French lace, featuring long sleeves, a sweetheart neckline and an open back – which she designed herself and had made by a close friend. She accessorised the gorgeous look with a vintage style veil and heels, which she later regretted.

MORE: Celebrate the Jubilee with HELLO! Shop our special products here

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