Former Strictly Come Dancing star Ian Waite celebrated his husband Drew Merriman's birthday in private, but the professional dancer couldn't resist sharing a loving snap of the couple with his fans. Taking to Twitter over the weekend, Ian, 47, wished many happy returns to his partner, writing: "Happy Birthday to my gorgeous husband @DrewM89 Love you!"
The couple tied the knot in a wedding exclusively covered by HELLO! last summer. The TV star and RAF pilot said "I do" inside the 18th-century Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey in a day that was witnessed by many of their celebrity friends. "It was the best day of my life," said Ian at the time. "It's been absolutely brilliant. It was so emotional to walk into the ceremony and see friends and family looking towards us." Drew added: "Someone came up to me at the end of the night and said, 'You haven't stopped smiling all day.'"
Happy birthday to Drew!
Invited guests included Ian's former Strictly partners Zoe Ball and Denise Lewis – who Zoe calls his 'Strictly wives' – the show's judge Craig Revel Horwood and dancers Natalie Lowe, Anton Du Beke, Erin Boag, Vincent Simone, Camilla Sacre-Dallerup, Matthew Cutler, Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova. Former contestants BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood and retired swimmer Mark Foster also attended.
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Ian and Drew married last summer
"We all cried," Zoe told HELLO!. "I'm so happy to see him so happy. Drew had a lot to live up to really, all us 'wives' had to approve and we wholeheartedly do. Ian is the best. I'm obviously completely in love with him – I was tempted to say, 'It should have been me!'" Craig continued: "Ian is one of my favourite Strictly professionals and has been for years. I'm so pleased he's finally found true love and happiness." Erin added: "It's a privilege to be here. And it feels like we're back with the old crowd, like the good old days, it's really nice."