Who is Susie Dent's husband and why did the couple 'split after 20 years'?

Countdown star Susie Dent and her husband of 20 years have called it a day, it has been reported.

Fans of the Channel 4 show's popular wordsmith were shocked to hear the sad new on Thursday.

Thankfully, it is believed she has split from Paul Atkins on amicable terms - and there's no bitterness involved.

Paul is an experienced primary school teacher, based in Oxford. They married back in 2001.

The pair have two children together, Lucy, 17, and Thea, nine, and will - of course - continue to put the kids first.

It is thought the pair met in the 90s, but she rarely opened up about her private life and says there's good reason for that decision.

It has been reported that TV's Susie Dent and Paul Atkins have ended their marriage (Getty Images)

While we love seeing Susie on the TV, she much prefers to keep her family totally out of the spotlight.

So much so the former couple haven't even been photographed together at a showbiz event.

She previously hinted at why she is so reluctant to talk, saying: "I've been a worrier for as long as I can remember.

"When I was growing up, I worried that people would dismiss me as a boring swot because I always had my nose in a vocabulary book — usually in French or German.

"My constant fear was that people were judging me, although, more recently, I've come to an understanding that that needn't be in a negative way.

The Countdown star likes to keep her family out of the spotlight (PA)

"My work, my love of words, became my refuge, both when I was working on bilingual dictionaries for Oxford University Press and then via my involvement with Countdown — and now Catsdown, as I call it.

"I know what I'm doing which makes me feel safe and in charge of myself."

She does, though, love to speak about being a parent.

The TV star told The Big Issue: "Strangely, I didn't take any time at all to get used to being a mother.

"It felt so instinctive and spontaneous, the whoosh people talk about.

Little is known about their relationship but the split is said to be "on amicable terms" (Getty Images)

"Motherhood is definitely the best thing I've ever experienced and, probably the best thing I've ever done in my life.

"I'm so lucky because I know not everyone has that. It's a real privilege to feel that immediate bond."

But things are about to change for the family - so why did they split?

A source told The Sun that it is a "very sad situation" and that Susie has "handled everything stoically".

They continued: “She has ploughed on professionally with all aspects of her working life and is simply trying to make the most of a heartbreaking scenario.

“Obviously Susie and Paul did all they could to make things work, but decided in the end to part ways.”