Penny Lancaster, 54, broke down while recalling her emotional love story with husband Rod Stewart, 80 during an episode of the BBC’s Anita Rani's My Life at Christmas.
Penny, who married Rod in 2007 after his divorce from Rachel Hunter spoke about the challenges of entering a blended family.
Rod shares two children Liam and Renee with Rachel, as well as four others at the time from various different relationships. "I tiptoed very lightly. Because there were lots of personalities, and more importantly, there were children ranging from all ages," she revealed on the show. "From Liam, who was five when we first met … so it was delicate, and they were children from different mothers."
© BBC"I just wanted to take my time, and it took a long time," Penny said tearfully. Adding that, now, she and the children: "have got to a place that I never thought I would get to with them."
Rod also spoke about how his band leader Carmine Appice kept Penny's number away from Rod, until he was in a better place for a relationship.
© BBC"'He was an absolute gentleman, he was the band leader and bass player and he kept her telephone away from me.
"He didn't think I was in the right position because I had just got a divorce and didn't know if I was coming or going and he said I will give it to you when I think you are ready."
Penny then got emotional thinking back to that time: "Carmine had kept that telephone number away from him," she said.
"He said 'you are going to go a bit crazy over the summer and let your hair down and Penny seems like a nice girl'."
© GettyPenny added: "I really thought that was the last I would see of Rod. I remember processing those photos I took of Rod [at his concert] and thinking, what a lovely memory and that was that."
Penny was not the only one to get emotional during the interview either. Rod shed a tear as he spoke about the secret to their 25-year marriage.
"I think the age difference, there are downsides to it, but there is a maturity I may have taught Penny and there is an honesty she has taught me," the rocker said wiping back the tears.
"We do not argue before we go to bed and we do not argue after a glass of wine and if we do have arguments it is over real quick.
© Getty Images"I try to teach my kids, all of them, that real men say sorry, that's what they do. There is a wonderful honestly between us and long may it last," he added.
Rod and Penny share two children Aiden and Alistair together. The rock star's eldest child was born in 1963, while his youngest was welcomed into the world back in 2011. Rod shares his children with a variety of partners, including ex-girlfriend Susannah Boffey, and ex-wives Alana Stewart and Rachel Hunter, ex-girlfriend Kelly Emberg and his current wife, Penny.
The 80-year-old revealed in 2011 that while it was a challenge to bring all of his kids together for a family event, it was more important than ever as he entered his twilight years.
"I'm trying to make more time now that I've carved out my career. I want to enjoy my kids. We're all planning a massive vacation somewhere. It's hard to get them all together because they are all off in different directions. But I am so proud of them," he told People.
