Carol McGiffin married Mark Cassidy in a secret ceremony in Bangkok in 2018, but she has confessed that she has thought about "letting him go" during their 15-year relationship.
The TV star, then 48, met her husband, then 26, at a Loose Women wrap party in August 2008. Their relationship blossomed and they got engaged later that year, but Carol has candidly discussed the difficulties the couple faced regarding people's opinions about their 22-year age gap – including her own insecurities. "We've proved them all wrong. I'm not going to lie it does get difficult," she told Kate Thornton, before expanding on her feelings about her changing body.
© Getty"As you age - you know what it's like - things change. You notice things. When you get up you start creaking," Carol added during the refreshingly honest chat. "It's really not a problem for him but every day I have to kind of think, 'Right it doesn't matter.'"
Carol has said this has even led her to consider the future of their relationship. "Sometimes I think maybe I should just let him go. But of course, I'm not going to let him go. Also, he doesn't want to go anywhere, more to the point," she said, and Kate reassured her: "He really thinks you're the bee's knees. Always has and I hope always will.
"I think you struggle with that more than he does actually. You're the insecure one when it comes to the age difference and all of the different things it represents."
When did Carol McGiffin get married?
© GettyDespite a whirlwind engagement, Carol and Mark took their time walking down the aisle. In fact, it was ten years later that they eloped to Bangkok in Thailand with none of their family or friends present.
"No one knew we were going to do it, but we've basically spent the past year having separate celebrations with different friends and family, telling them all in person. Now they all know, we're ready for it to come out," she said to Best magazine.
The couple had originally planned to marry in January 2017 but were forced to cancel after Carol's sister sadly died a few days before.
Carol – who was previously married to Chris Evans – shared the first photos of her wedding ceremony on Loose Women, revealing she opted for a laid-back outfit including black and white striped trousers and a white blouse with a denim jacket layered over the top.
They then celebrated with a romantic dinner on the river, which may have been at the same hotel where they are currently staying. On their wedding night, Mark changed into a blue shirt and cream trousers, while Carol looked elegant in a pink maxi dress and denim jacket as they soaked up the view from their table.
Will Carol McGiffin have a second wedding?
On the subject of renewing her vows in the future, she told The Sun: "I don’t know why people do that. It’s so ridiculous."
"We didn't really do it properly," she confessed, referring to her small guest list. "We never would have done it otherwise."
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See some of Carol's recent loved-up photos with her husband Mark...
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