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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Sarah Beeny admits marriage to Graham Swift 'hanging on by our fingernails' following breast cancer battle

Sarah Beeny has admitted her marriage to husband Graham Swift is “hanging on by their fingernails” following her breast cancer battle.

The property expert, 51, reflected on her relationship with artist Graham, 50, in a new interview saying they have both admitted they stayed together for their teenage sons, Billy, 18, Charlie, 16, Rafferty, 14, and Laurie, 12.

The TV presenter, who was given the all clear in April 2023, told Gabby Logan on the The Mid.Point podcast: “We're hanging on in there by our fingernails. I mean, it's not easy, is it?

“Graham always said, 'The day we have to work at our marriage, I'm going to leave'. And I was like, 'Really?' But I think he has had to work at it to be honest.”

Reflecting on the past few years, Beeny admitted: “I was being particularly horrible, because I have been a bit horrible in the last couple of years to be honest at times.

“I was being particularly horrible and he said, 'you know the thing is Sarah, you're not prepared to leave and have your children half the time, and neither am I, so we're going to stay together.

Beeny pictured with her husband and their four sons (Outline Productions)

“And we're going to stay together happily or unhappily, so which would you like it to be?' And I was like, oh that is quite dark, isn't it?

“He said, 'You want to be happy or unhappy, because either way we're still going to live together', so I was like, 'OK we'll do happy then, shall we?' he was like, 'what a good idea. Maybe you should be a bit nicer?'

“I was like, 'yeah alright I will.' So logical, isn't it?”

After their frank conversation, Beeny explained that she spoke to her older brother Diccon about her marital issues and he gave her some firm but fair advice.

She recalled: “I rang my brother … and said, 'right that's it, Graham's being so annoying, I think we're going to split up,' and he listened to me for ages…

“He said, 'I get it Sarah, it must be horrendous being married to him. The only thing I think that could be worse is being married to you. So I suggest you go and make up!’ So all is well.”

The pair married in 2002 12 years after meeting on a blind date when she was just 18.

Her comments come after revealed she didn't want to include details of her breast cancer battle in her memoir, despite talking about it openly in the past.

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