James Murray isn't the only actor in his family. In 2007, the TV star married English actress, Sarah Parish. Famed for her roles in The Wedding Date, Doctor Who, Stay Close and Broadchurch, Sarah first met James on the set of Cutting It, where they bonded over their shared "taste in music and literature."
Following their wedding, the celebrity couple later moved to Winchester with their daughter, Nell. James' close friend and co-presenter, Robson Green, is also known to stop by on occasion! We're taking a closer look at James and Sarah's romance, plus their family life in the country…
During a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Sarah revealed that it wasn't exactly love at first sight for the pair of them. "I didn't like him much when I first met him and I don't think he liked me," she explained, "but we shared the same taste in music and literature and got on really well as mates, so it started the right way."
MORE: Grantchester's Robson Green: Everything to know about star's family, children and more
READ: Everything NCIS star David McCallum has said about his wife Katherine Carpenter
Prior to meeting James, Sarah had actually given up on the idea of marriage. She told The Mirror: "I was in my mid-30s and, yes, I thought marriage just wasn't going to happen. I wasn't panicking, I wasn't thinking, 'I must find a bloke'. I guess I had a sort of devil-may-care attitude to it all. If I meet somebody, great. If not, no worries."
It was only after the former co-stars had finished filming the BBC drama, Cutting It, that Sarah realised she'd developed feelings for James. "After I finished the show, I realised that I really missed him," she said.
After starting a relationship, they later married in a ceremony held in Hampshire, on 15 December 2007. A month later, Sarah and James announced that they were expecting their first child together. Their daughter, Ella-Jayne, was born in May 2008 but tragically passed away eight months later due to a congenital heart defect. Both Sarah and James have spoken publicly about their loss, and in 2014, they launched the Murray Parish Trust, which seeks to "advance and enhance children's healthcare, including mental health, beyond that which is possible through NHS funding."
The couple later became parents to their second daughter, Nell, in November 2009. Based in Winchester, the family loves nothing more than spending time outdoors at their country home. Speaking about why they decided to move away from London, Sarah told The Mirror: "We wanted a different life… he wants to go fishing, I want to potter around in the garden. That's what makes me happy."
Want to keep up to date with the latest stories? Sign up to our HELLO! Newsletters today.
