Dick and Angel Strawbridge are the picture of family bliss on Channel 4's Escape to the Chateau. The husband and wife, who wed in 2015, provide plenty of inspiration on the programme along with their two children Arthur and Dorothy.
However, it seems Dick and Angel experienced some difficulties in the early days of their relationship – particularly when living in different parts of the country.
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Speaking the Mail Online last month, Angel explained how they made the decision to look for a forever home after being long distance for two years. "We were on holiday in the South of France in 2012, and we had been together two years.
"But Dick was living in Cornwall and I was in east London. Relationships are tricky at the best of times, and all the more with 300 miles between you, so we were on a mission to find somewhere we would both want to call home."
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© Photo: HELLO!The Strawbridge family moved to France in 2015
The couple came across their gorgeous chateau in 2015 and made the final decision to up sticks and head to France. Dick and Angel, who have recently returned for a brand new series, spoke to HELLO! for an exclusive interview and photoshoot last month to open up about their inspirational journey.
Dick, 61, mused that it was his and Angel's determined mindset that spurred them on. "There are certain things in our life that we don't doubt and any problems we know we can fix. We've both got that mindset," he told HELLO!.
Angel, 42, added: "We saw it as an adventure and why not? We wanted to create a new life for ourselves and our families."
Dick was also aware of the age difference between the couple, and did admit at first it left him feeling apprehensive. "I was the wrong side of 50 but it didn't matter as you only live once," he says. "Imagine not having the life we have now because I was scared?"
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