14 November 2023 , 08:36
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Much-loved Loose Women host Linda Robson has confirmed she has officially split from her husband Mark Dunford after more than 33 years. The 65-year-old star sparked speculation about the state of their marriage as she candidly revealed their ups and downs on the ITV talk show, and previously admitted that things between them 'weren't plain-sailing' and that she even considered herself 'celibate' back in June.
Despite the rumours of a separation, the presenter insisted: "We're still living together. We both love our kids more than anything else in the world, obviously you have a few hiccups in every marriage. We've been married 33 years so it's not going to be all plain sailing, but we’re still together at the moment."
However as of Tuesday, she confirmed to Woman magazine that she is in fact single. She said of her ex-husband: "He’s a really good dad and we had some good years, but enough is enough. I’ve got my family and my kids around me. And I’m going on a cruise with Lesley Joseph in November. I’m keeping busy."
The Birds of a Feather star added that she isn't ready to date other people just yet, saying: "I feel fine. I’m just going away on trips all the time. I’m not interested [in dating] honestly. I can’t be a***d with all that."
The couple are in a 'rough patch' after 33 years of marriage (WireImage)In a previous panel on the daytime show, Linda confessed that she and Mark hadn't had sex in two years, but that it didn't bother her. "Can I just say I've been celibate for two years?" she began, "I can't be a**** with all that [romance stuff]. I'm just happy going out with my mates and my children and my grandchildren."
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Linda and Mark got to know each other as teens but didn't start dating until years later. In 2017, she explained: "I used to babysit for Mark – he was a couple of years younger than me… I was 16 and he was 13 and a half, and he was a bit of a pain, to be honest. And we lived in the street next to each other."
It wasn't until they were both in the park one day, Linda with her eldest daughter Lauren, 40, that they crossed paths again. The pair dated and tied the knot in 1990. They set up home in London together and share children Louis, 31, and Roberta, 27.
The mum had eldest Lauren with her ex Tony Tyler, whom she describes as her 'first love'. Not much is known about her ex but the pair were together for 11 years and welcomed their daughter before parting ways.
Loose Women's Linda Robson makes savage sex jibe after 'marriage crisis' claims (ITV)In 2016, Linda opened up on her heartbreak following her first love cheating on her. Speaking of her regret at how long she let her "serial cheat" ex be unfaithful, she said: "I caught him lots and lots of times, probably my biggest regret is that I didn't finish it earlier. The strange thing was there was a family do not too long ago, and he actually blamed me for the break-up."
She revealed how he went on to blame her for always being away for work for his infidelity. However, she furiously said at the time that the excuse was a 'lie' anyway, saying she "was always there". In another segment of Loose Women, where the panel discussed the idea of how quickly they would move on and remarry after splitting up with a long-term partner, Linda was quizzed on her thoughts following her split from the father of her eldest.
"It took me a long time to get over that because that was my first love," admitted Linda. "But I feel like I don't really need a partner to love because I've got my children, my grandchildren, my sisters and my friends..."