Inside Bradley Walsh's wife Donna's life - from showbiz career to stunning home

10 February 2024 , 09:26

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Bradley Walsh and his wife Donna Derby have been married for 22 years and she has made her name as a star in her own right as well as kick-starting her husband's career in showbiz (Image: Adam Gerrard / OK! Magazine)

The Chase host Bradley Walsh is something of a national treasure, having been in showbiz for almost 40 years.

But behind the glitz and glamour of his game shows, the Watford-born star lives a quiet life, tucked away in a corner of Essex with his wife, Donna Derby, and their son Barney - and Donna has a showbiz past herself. Donna, who is a choreographer and former professional dancer, once appeared in a music video for Robert Palmer's hit, Simply Irresistible. She first met Bradley in 1992 and they tied the knot in 1997.

And when he joined Coronation Street in 2004, Bradley said it was Donna who convinced him to take the leap. "She is the one who recognised what it could do for me even though it would mean being apart," he said. Bradley also has a 40-year-old daughter, Hayley, from a previous relationship and recently became a granddad when she welcomed her first child.

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Bradley lives a quiet life, tucked away in a corner of Essex with his wife, Donna Derby, and their son Barney (Getty Images)

Donna has also appeared as an actress and dancer in several TV shows, including The Kenny Everett Show and The Russ Abbot Show, and for two decades has worked as both a choreographer and judge for the Miss World beauty pageant.

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Back when Bradley appeared on The One Show last year, he confessed one of his famous pals had introduced him to his future wife Donna, who is thought to be around the same age – and it was none other than actor and comedian Brian Conley.

It turns out Brian, who is currently starring as Terry Cant in EastEnders, used to live in the same street as Bradley in Watford in houses with opposite doors. As well as being neighbours, they both embarked on careers in showbiz.

Recalling the role Brian played in his subsequent union with Donna, Bradley shared: “He introduced me to my wife. She was a commercial TV dancer and worked on one of Brian’s shows.

Donna has also appeared as an actress and dancer in several TV shows (WireImage)

Actor and comedian Brian Conley introduced Bradley and Donna (PA)

“We were walking through old London weekend television studios and he was having a cup of tea in the green room and I said I was going to Somerset.” When Donna walked past, Brian ended up introducing them. “He said this is Donna, and that was it!”

Stunning Donna was one of the models hand-picked to star in the steamy video for Simply Irresistible where she performed some seriously raunchy choreography. Dressed in a skintight bodycon dress and sporting a slick of deep red lipstick, Donna shimmied behind singer Robert Palmer in the 1988 classic which caused a huge stir on its release.

Donna and Bradley now live in a £2.5million barn conversion in Epping and the latter is believed to have recently forked out nearly half a million on some land which has a golf club on one side and the M25 motorway on the other near their mansion.

He previously told : "I was born in Watford, and grew up in a council house. My mother was a single parent, who had to struggle hard to make ends meet. At one point she was holding down three different jobs. It was a happy childhood, but we certainly didn’t have a great deal of money."

Aisha Nozari