Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan will ‘never divorce’ despite lowest points in marriage: Secrets to Their Enduring Bond Revealed by Daughter Chloe

TV veterans Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan have been a beloved pair on the small screen for decades, successfully balancing their work and home lives. Their marriage, spanning over four decades, has withstood the test of time, and now their daughter, Chloe Madeley, is shedding light on how her parents have managed to stick together through it all.

In a candid interview, Chloe shared insights into her parents’ long-lasting relationship while reflecting on her own experiences with co-parenting her daughter, Bodhi, with ex-husband James Haskell. When asked about the secret to her parents’ enduring marriage, Chloe offered a blunt but humorous response: “The secret to them having such a long marriage is to not get divorced!”

Speaking to Closer Magazine, Chloe revealed that despite facing challenges, her parents never considered splitting up. “They’ve been together over 40 years and during that time there have been periods where they really struggled, but they kept going and stayed together. I don’t think it was ever bad enough for them to split,” she said, told The Mirror.

Richard and Judy first met in 1982 while working on separate shows for Granada Television. Both were married to other people at the time, but their connection was undeniable. Judy recalled her first impression of Richard, telling The Mirror, “I thought he looked nice. Tall, handsome, and all that but I thought the suit was a bit flashy. Then, because he was a newbie, I was assigned the job of looking after him.”

Eventually, both divorced their respective spouses and married each other four years later in Manchester. Richard has been open about the mistakes he made during his first marriage, admitting to having several affairs and acknowledging that his young age contributed to his struggles with fidelity. However, his marriage to Judy has been a different story, marked by happiness and mutual support.

Despite her parents’ long and successful marriage, Chloe admitted that it didn’t add pressure when she decided to end her own marriage with James Haskell. Chloe, who shares a two-year-old daughter with James, expressed that she “wanted very much” for her marriage to work but ultimately realized it was time to move on.

As Chloe navigates her single life and considers new relationships, her parents continue to celebrate their enduring marriage. Richard has previously shared that, despite their strong bond, they often had to fake chemistry on camera after having a “blazing row” before live appearances on This Morning.

Reflecting on those moments, Richard recalled during their Channel 5 documentary, Richard & Judy: Our Best Bits – In Our Own Words: “It was very funny, we’d get to the studio sometimes having had a row… and within a minute viewers would call in and say, ‘They’ve had a row haven’t they?’ Because viewers knew us so well.”