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Alistair Appleton in a red jumper and denim outfit© Naked West/Fremantle

Inside Escape to the Country star Alistair Appleton's love story with rarely-seen husband

The BBC broadcaster is married to his husband, Daniel

Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
Updated: September 25, 2024
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Alistair Appleton is a much-loved member of the Escape to the Country family, but how much do you know about the TV personality when he's not presenting the popular show? Find out more here...

The star, who is also a therapist and meditation expert, is happily married to husband Daniel Martin, and the pair live together in Sussex with their pet pooch, Ben and their adorable cat, Joni.

Alistair Appleton is best known for presenting Escape to the Country© Instagram
Alistair Appleton is best known for presenting Escape to the Country

Although Alistair has kept his personal life mostly out of the spotlight, he has mentioned his partner on his social media and website a few times, including a sweet post on Instagram of Daniel which celebrated his husband's successful pottery business.

Alongside a snap of his beloved and stunning creations at a local pottery fair, Alistair wrote: "So proud of my beautiful husband. @thepilgrimpotter This weekend is his first pottery fair.

A man at a stall selling pottery© Instagram
Alistair was super proud of his husband

"At the prestigious @townergallery no less, this weekend! After a mad rush with lots of explosions and triumphs – he's here!! And it looks stunning."

Shortly after, the Escape to the Country presenter marked Pride month by sharing a sweet selfie of the two along with a caption that read: "HAPPY PRIDE: It's LGBTQ Pride in London this weekend (Brighton is later in the summer) but sending out pride and love to all my queer sisters and brothers.

Alistair Appleton and his husband on a stone beach© Instagram
Alistair and Daniel live in Surrey

"Especially to the trans folk out there who are battling ugly bigots with bravery and grace. And the beautiful drag beings are the latest scapegoats of the idiot right? In many countries of the world, it's not legal or safe to be proud of who you are as a queer being. Let’s never let the UK become one of those places again."

Meanwhile, Alistair previously spoke about his husband on his website while offering free workout sessions during the coronavirus lockdown. In one post, he wrote: "My husband Daniel, a yoga teacher and I are offering free meditation and yoga to keep us grounded and happy during these extraordinary times. All welcome."

alistair appleton 6© BBC
BBC's Alistair Appleton

He added: "I am lucky to have found love and have a very understanding and supportive husband, Daniel... We're currently in a 1930s French sea captain's cottage in the port of Newhaven. And we live there with our very big dog Ben."

Alistair previously tweeted about his sexuality back in 2017 with a quote which read: "I am glad I am gay and that I suffered bullying for it because it allows me empathy for the bullied everywhere."

Alistair shared this sweet post with his husband to mark Pride month© Instagram
Alistair shared this sweet post with his husband to mark Pride month

Alistair is a man of many talents and spoke about training to become a psychotherapist back in 2012, telling Hampshire Live: "I loved that work so much that I started to get a bit disenchanted with all the crazy schedules of TV filming and I decided five years ago to re-train as a psychotherapist. That was the best decision of my life and I think I've hit my 40s in much better shape than I hit my 30s."

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