Clive Myrie has opened up about his secrets to a successful marriage, including the importance of spending time apart and a "major decision" he made with his wife Catherine.
The couple first crossed paths at a book launch event for a publication on Swiss cheese back in 1992. Despite his parents' initial reservations about his career choice, the 59-year-old television presenter credits Catherine for providing him with the "courage and space to pursue my dreams".
This support extended to his aspiration to "travel the world", a desire that ultimately led the pair to decide against having children, despite both hailing from large families, reports the Daily Record.
During an appearance on the Desperately Seeking Wisdom podcast, BBC Proms host Clive shared: "We've come from bigger families. I'm from a family of seven. And Catherine's from a family of five kids.
"We weren't desperate for that kind of familial glue. Something that I'd always wanted to do was travel the world.
"And it got to the point where we realised we wanted to keep doing this. And to bring children with us would have been tricky."
While they may not have children of their own, Clive revealed that they are blessed with a "hell of a lot of nieces and nephews". The Mastermind quizmaster also disclosed that spending time away from his spouse helps to keep their relationship strong.
In an interview with the Guardian, he quoted Michael Caine, saying: "In the words of Michael Caine, separate bathrooms make a marriage. Figuratively speaking, at least."
"Having a space that's your own; spending time alone, to bond when reunited. My wife, Catherine, has her own interests. I do, too."
Mastermind host Clive Myrie, who took over the reins of the iconic quiz show in 2021, has always harboured ambitions of journalism despite his Windrush-generation parents' hopes for him to land a "proper job". His academic journey led him to study law and he was even poised to enter the bar after being accepted onto a barrister's scheme.
Yet, it was the allure of the BBC training scheme that ultimately captured Clive's career aspirations, steering him away from the legal profession and towards a successful tenure in broadcasting, including presenting News at 10 before stepping into John Humphrys' shoes on Mastermind.
