Ben Shephard has paid a gushing tribute to his wife Annie in honour of her birthday.
Taking to his Instagram page on Wednesday night, the Good Morning Britain host - who has been married to his university sweetheart since 2004 – shared a candid image of his partner and penned a lengthy message in which he praised her.
© Instagram"So it's Mrs S birthday!! Can’t believe another year has gone by not sure where the time goes!!!" he wrote. "This one bigger than most with Sam and Jack doing A levels and GCSEs.
"There is no doubt the results they got were down to her, I’d like to think I helped in some way, mostly in the knowledge that they did better than me! Anyway @annieshepharddesign Happy Birthday!!! [heart emoji]."
Celebrity friends and fans alike flocked to the comments section, with Charlotte Hawkins writing: "Happy Birthday Annie [party and heart emoji]." Sean Fletcher added: "Happy Birthday Annie! I hope you’ve had a lovely day. Xx."
One fan remarked: "Happy Birthday Annie , well done to the boys, you are both role models to the boys, enjoy, looking forward to seeing Ben back on GMB xx." Another said: "Lovely pic posted Ben! You are both incredible role models Lu both lots." [sic]
Annie, who is an avid gardener, is a successful interior designer who has worked with the likes of House and Garden, Glamour and Elle Decor. The couple, who first crossed paths in their twenties, tied the knot on a private island off the coast of Devon in 2004.
The loved-up couple are proud parents to two sons: Sam, 18, and Jack, 15. While Ben keeps much of his family life under wraps, the presenter has occasionally shared rare insights into his relationship with Annie.
During a chat with close friend Kate Thornton on her podcast, White Wine Question Time, Ben offered a candid glimpse inside the early days of their romance whilst they were students at the University of Birmingham.
"We met at university - so you knew Annie when I just got into the telly - and I was sort of a mere puppy when it came to the world of broadcasting media," he explained.
"She has been through all this with me - the highs and the lows of all that experience. And she is still here, somehow is still putting up with me which to this day, I can't quite believe that I am extraordinarily lucky."
