Richard Osman has revealed how he ‘pined’ for his wife, Ingrid Oliver, for a year before they finally met on the set of his BBC gameshow.
The Pointless presenter, 54, met Doctor Who actress Ingrid, 48, on Richard Osman’s House of Games in 2021.
Of their first meeting, Richard previously said: ‘Ingrid came on House of Games. I knew who she was through social media. We’d never met – I had never met her. I had a little twinkle in my eye, I’ll admit that.
‘She came on, we filmed that day together. Our first date is completely on camera. After filming, I was thinking, “How can I ask her for a drink, this is difficult.”‘
After becoming friends, they struck up a romance, and were eventually married in a 2022 wedding ceremony which Richard described as ‘the most magical, joyful day.’
In a new interview, the former Taskmaster contestant has shared how he had a crush on his future wife long before they actually met.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Richard said: ‘I was aware of Ingrid from social media and thought she was very funny, but beyond a single tweet we’d never communicated.
‘I asked our mutual friend, the comedian Lou Sanders, to check if Ingrid was available. She wasn’t. Twelve months later, in 2021, Ingrid was a guest on my quiz show House of Games.
‘This time Lou told me Ingrid was available, so I spent a long day in front of the cameras desperately trying not to flirt. I made eye contact less with her than any other guest ever.’
Having become friends during her House of Games appearance, romance then blossomed for Richard and Ingrid during lockdown.
Engagement rumours began when Ingrid was spotted wearing an emerald ring.
Richard then confirmed the news in May 2022, during an interview with The Observer.
Asked by fellow writer Marian Keyes whether rumours of their engagement were true, the Thursday Murder Club author replied: ‘Yes,’ adding: ‘Exciting, isn’t it?’
The pair then tied the knot in December that year, surrounded by friends and family.
On the Christmas Day edition of Desert Island Discs, Richard paid tribute to Ingrid, explaining: ‘I’m happy with myself, I’ve got these beautiful kids, I’ve met the woman who I’m going to be with for the rest of my life.
‘That thing of competition and ambition, you soon realise that rocket fuel disappears and it’s about happiness and my kids bring me happiness and Ingrid brings me happiness.’
Richard split from his first wife in 2007, with whom he shares two older children, Ruby and Sonny, both of whom are in their twenties.
Both children were present at his wedding to Ingrid, with his son acting as his best man during the ceremony.
In the wake of their wedding, Richard admitted how ‘terrified’ he had been to get married.
Appearing on Loose Women, he shared: ‘Yeah, it’s terrifying to get married. All of our friends were there, there’s so much you have to organise, you’ve got the band, the booze, the ceremony, all that stuff.
‘And also, it was so filled with love that day, everyone we knew, everyone we loved, people from school, from my whole life, were there, and you just think, “Just don’t get it wrong.”
‘Of course, the second you’re there and standing opposite each other, doing the vows, you know it can’t go wrong.
‘But beforehand it was absolutely terrifying.’
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