John Nettles became a household name after fronting the British detective dramas, Bergerac (1981-1991) and Midsomer Murders (1991). These days, however, the actor has officially retired from the industry and spends his days working as a historian.
Residing in a 15th-century longhouse in the Devonshire village of Holsworthy, John and his wife, painter Cathryn Sealey, moved to the county in 2010, and they couldn't be happier. Ahead of their 30th wedding anniversary in 2025, we're taking a look at their surprising love story…
© ShutterstockCathryn, who used to work as a nurse, prefers to stay out of the spotlight and is John's second wife. The Bergerac lead was previously married to casting director Joyce Nettles, whom he fell for at university, and during their time together, they welcomed a daughter named Emma.
John and Joyce eventually decided to divorce, but remained on good terms, with his ex-wife lending her expertise to Midsomer Murders.
As for how he met Cathryn, John has his good friend – the late comedian Les Dawson – to thank. Speaking to Mail Online in 2009, the TV star recalled what happened. "I met her when I was working in panto with Les Dawson in the 1980s, and we were having a party at the hotel where we were staying," he began.
"Cathryn had been invited by one of the cast, and I was bowled over by how beautiful she was. So when I saw Les boring her rigid with a very rude joke about a farting turtle, I asked her if she wanted a drink and whisked her away."
Asked what it was that first attracted him to Cathryn, John mused: "Her kindness, her beauty and her friendship both attracted me and keep me with her."
While it's not known exactly when the couple began dating, it was in July 1995 that they said 'I do,' holding an intimate ceremony near Stratford-on-Avon where he was playing Brutus in a production of Julius Caesar.
Speaking to The Mirror in 1999, John couldn't help but gush over Cathryn. "This is the happiest I've been in all my life," he told the publication. "I never thought I'd fall in love again. I was very bitter and cynical when my first marriage broke up. I thought I was set to be a bachelor for the rest of my life. But I finally found a lady brave enough to take me on."
Jump to 2024, and John and Cathryn are set to mark their 30th wedding anniversary next year. Together, share an abundance of rescue horses, dogs and donkeys, and it sounds like they've carved out the most idyllic life in the countryside.
