Colin Firth discussed the struggles of making his marriage work long before he stunned fans by announcing his decades-long romance with Livia Giuggioli had come to an end.
Fans of the 59-year-old Oscar-winning actor were saddened this week when he revealed his marriage to 50-year-old Livia had come to an end after 22 years - and just two years after the pair survived an affair scandal.
But Colin had always been open about the trials and tribulations of marriage - having discussed with Piers Morgan back in 2011 just how tricky finding a right balance could be.
Colin had always maintained that he and Livia were nothing but crazy for each other, but had hinted that it took a lot of work to make their romance tick.
"You just you navigate things on a daily basis," Colin said at the time.
"We are crazy about each other. We're very committed on a daily basis to how we deal with our family lives,” the Bridget Jones’s Diary star went on.
"But the real secret is time - we have to make sure that we spend enough time together. Every relationship in life you're going to have to take care of, there's a marathon factor to it,” he added.
Colin and Livia tied the knot back in 1997 and together they have two sons - 18-year-old Luca and 16-year-old Matteo.
The proud parents saw their relationship rocked last year amid allegations that Livia had enjoyed an extra-marital affair with former friend Marco Brancaccia.
The couple appeared to survive the affair - with events taking a turn when Livia claimed Marco had started stalking her.
This week, a spokesperson for Colin confirmed the marriage between the actor and his wife was over, releasing a statement: "Colin and Livia Firth have separated. They maintain a close friendship and remain united in their love for their children.”
Colin also has another son, 29-year-old actor Will, from his past relationship with Canadian-American actress Meg Tilly.
