Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke is usually known as a mild-mannered, if eccentric, star. However, during an appearance on the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, he spoke out about his wife, Hannah's health condition.
Hannah suffers from endometriosis, a condition "where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other parts of the body". The illness can make it harder for someone to become pregnant and Anton spoke of how the pair had to go through IVF in order to welcome their twins, George and Henrietta, eight.
"I knew I wanted to be with her, I saw her with her nephews," he told host Giovanna Fletcher. "She's so kind and so caring, I just couldn't understand the universe."
He continued: "And whoever is upstairs, if anyone's upstairs, looking down and going, 'you are the most perfect person to have children, but I'm not going to let you have any children because I'm going to give you this'.
"And I'm going to say, 'you're going to have this endometriosis, and you're going to suffer with this all of your life, chronically, and I'm not going to let you have any children.'"
He concluded: "I thought that was peculiar, cruel, and inexplicable and unforgivable. And if ever I go up to somewhere and meet this person I would say 'I think you're not OK with decisions like this, this doesn't make any sense to me.'"
Welcoming twins
Anton vividly recalled the moment they discovered Hannah was not only pregnant but carrying twins. In his trademark humorous style, he shared his stunned reaction.
"The doctor's fiddling around and he goes, 'Ooh, there's another heartbeat.' I was stunned! I went – pardon my language – '[Expletive] me, mate!'"
He continued, "I couldn't speak. Then we found out it was a boy and a girl. It's the most incredible thing. I can't tell you how wonderful, how magical it is."
The dancer's voice brimmed with pride and love as he described his children. "We ended up with this perfect boy and girl. They are just magical. They are wonderful, wonderful children. It makes me emotional every time I think about it."