It's no secret that Jamie Oliver renewed his vows with his wife Jools Oliver after hoping to say 'I do' again to mark their 20th wedding anniversary.
After the pandemic threw a spanner in the works, the couple were forced to postpone their second nuptials until April 2023, where they professed their love for one another in the Maldives, surrounded by their five children, Poppy, 21, Daisy, 20, Petal, 14, Buddy, 13, and River, 7.
In a new interview for The Sunday Times, the celebrity chef, 48, gave a touching insight into the real reason he and his wife chose to renew their vows after 23 years together.
"We thought we would remind the kids that their mum and dad love each other," he revealed, echoing a heartfelt Instagram post he penned last year that said: "We thought it would be a special moment to celebrate renewing our wedding vows before the kids all start leaving the nest."
With his children growing up and moving out of their family home, Jamie told the BBC in a former interview he still wanted to show them "their parents are tight" and prove they have "earned" their vows.
© David M. BenettThe magical ceremony, private and secluded, was held on the white-sand island of Soneva Fushi.
© Getty"It was really special, funny and romantic with the words in the ceremony making more sense having come this far together," Jamie added.
The father-of-five opened up about life at home since his two eldest daughters have left home, telling The Sunday Times that his eldest is travelling, while his second eldest Daisy is training to be a nurse.
"Having five delays the empty nest. I think that was Jools’s strategy," Jamie added.
Jamie's wife Jools has always been candid about her fears of her children fleeing the nest. Back in 2013, before she had welcomed her youngest son River, the designer told HELLO!: "As they [the children] get older it's quite emotional. It's a big change because [Poppy] is going to secondary school. I spent most of this week just crying.
© Instagram"I find it really hard, I’m really attached to the children and she’s the first one so the whole thing is a lot for me to take in but it is going to happen and empty nest will happen soon."
