Anton Du Beke admits he knew he loved his wife Hannah Summers ‘almost immediately’ after they met

Anton Du Beke has revealed he knew he loved his wife Hannah Summers ‘almost immediately’ after they met.

The Strictly Come Dancing star, 54, recalled how the pair met ‘at a do’ where he waited outside the toilets to pluck up the courage to speak to her. 

Appearing on Wednesday’s edition of Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch, Anton said: ‘I knew almost immediately that I loved her. She also loved me immediately’. 

Romance: Anton Du Beke has revealed he knew he loved his wife Hannah Summers ‘almost immediately’ after they met

‘She was sat across a big table at a do and I thought, “wow she is absolutely outrageous.” ‘

Anton then spoke about how he built up the courage to talk to Hannah, 43, saying: ‘She went off to the loo as one does. Outrageously, I followed her!

‘She went into the ladies and I waited outside for her. I’m staggered she actually spoke to me.’

Anton told host Steph McGovern about how he first approached speaking to Hannah, saying: ‘She came out, she looked at me and went “have you been waiting outside the ladies for me?” and I went “Yes, It’s because I love you”.’

Couple: The Strictly Come Dancing star, 54, recalled how the pair met 'at a do' where he waited outside the toilets to pluck up the courage to speak to her (pictured in 2017)

Couple: The Strictly Come Dancing star, 54, recalled how the pair met ‘at a do’ where he waited outside the toilets to pluck up the courage to speak to her (pictured in 2017)

The professional dancer, who married  jokingly admitted that the exchange made him look ‘a bit weird’ at the time. 

Anton became a father for the first time in March 2017 when he and Hannah welcomed twins, George and Henrietta, after his partner’s long-term struggle with endometriosis. 

Detailing how IVF was the couple’s ‘only option’, Anton previously broke down on an appearance on Loose Women as he discussed the long wait they endured before finally welcoming their children. 

He said: ‘I’m delighted to be able to talk about it because it’s such an incredible thing, being able to be a parent. Hannah and I left it a bit later, so we’re slightly older parents. ‘ 

Anton said: 'She was sat across a big table at a do and I thought, "wow she is absolutely outrageous"'

Anton said: ‘She was sat across a big table at a do and I thought, “wow she is absolutely outrageous”‘

Praising his wife, he added: ‘I always get emotional when I talk about Hannah. Hannah is a remarkable mum and wife. She’s the most brilliant person I’ve ever met.

‘For me as a man, and everything is from my own personal perspective of a man, I didn’t know whether I wanted to have children or whether that was going to be a thing for me… it wasn’t a subject that was at the forefront of my mind, but what I did know is that if I did have children it would be with the woman I wanted to spend all my life with and it’s Hannah. 

‘So having children with Hannah was a perfectly normal thing and obvious thing us to do.’

Reflecting on Hannah’s struggle with endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, Anton revealed she was diagnosed when she was still in her early twenties.

Emotional: Anton previously became overwhelmed with emotion as he detailed the fertility journey he and wife Hannah experienced during an appearance on Loose Women

Emotional: Anton previously became overwhelmed with emotion as he detailed the fertility journey he and wife Hannah experienced during an appearance on Loose Women

He said: ‘Endometriosis is a massive thing for ladies. From a man, you look on and it’s one of those things where you go, “I don’t understand.”‘

‘For a woman, it affects the quality of your life to a degree, because it sort of comes in three parts. First there’s the excruciating pain, second there’s the swelling.

‘It sometimes makes you look like you’re pregnant, which is quite a perverse thing because people come up to you and say, “Congratulations” and you’re like, “Actually, no.”

‘And it stops you, in many cases, from becoming pregnant. As a man, there’s nothing you can do. All I can do is support, empathise and do whatever I can do.’

Tearful: Detailing how IVF was the couple's 'only option', the television personality broke down as he discussed the long wait they endured before finally welcoming their children

Tearful: Detailing how IVF was the couple’s ‘only option’, the television personality broke down as he discussed the long wait they endured before finally welcoming their children

Anton admitted the condition forced them to consider IVF as a last ditch attempt at having a family of their own.

‘We went to the clinic and discussed it. And we made the decision, “this is what we’re going to do”, and we were absolutely determined.

‘You go along and of course, the process is remarkable. I take my hat off… it’s not even a big enough expression… to Hannah and women in general doing this. It’s an incredible thing. The pay off is so great, of course.’

In-vitro fertilisation, known as IVF, is a medical procedure in which a woman has an already-fertilised egg inserted into her womb to become pregnant.

Happy family: The ballroom professional became a father for the first time in March 2017 when he and Hannah welcomed twins, George and Henrietta

Happy family: The ballroom professional became a father for the first time in March 2017 when he and Hannah welcomed twins, George and Henrietta

It is used when couples are unable to conceive naturally, and a sperm and egg are removed from their bodies and combined in a laboratory before the embryo is inserted into the woman.

Once the embryo is in the womb, the pregnancy should continue as normal. 

On whether having IVF made him and Hannah stronger, Anton revealed: “You could say it brought us closer together because it’s a shared experience. I use the shared bit loosely as it’s Hannah’s and I’m there as much as I can.

He added: ‘I felt like I gave myself up to Hannah… that’s such a ridiculous statement, but I was like, “What do you want? The best I can do is support you.”‘

Steph’s Packed Lunch airs weekdays at 12.30pm on Channel 4.

Opening up: 'I always get emotional when I talk about Hannah. Hannah is a remarkable mum and wife. She’s the most brilliant person I’ve ever met,' he said

Opening up: ‘I always get emotional when I talk about Hannah. Hannah is a remarkable mum and wife. She’s the most brilliant person I’ve ever met,’ he said