Sue and Alex Tatham had no idea quite how much their lives would change when one day in 1988, during an appearance on Blind Date, the screen drew back and they would both be confronted by the person they would go on to spend over 30 years married to.
Well, Sue and Alex did just that; more than three decades on they’re still going strong since becoming the first-ever couple to tie the knot after meeting on Cilla Black’s dating show.
And now Blind Date is celebrating its 40th anniversary, with its first episode airing on ITV on November 30, 1985.
‘We’re still being romantic today,’ the couple reflected to Metro, having even renewed their vows.
For their 30th anniversary, they celebrated with a swanky dinner in London, followed by a ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet at the London Opera House.
‘It was a fabulous evening where Sue and I celebrated 30 years of a wonderful marriage by doing lots of things we love best, culminating in one of the best ballets we have ever seen. Thankfully, our love story ends better than Romeo and Juliet’s! We are still star-crossed lovers, though!’, teased Alex.
But it sounded like love and laughter have never been scarce for Sue and Alex, who have seized every day together since he picked lucky number 2 over Lynne from Middlesex and Kate from Essex.
‘There was lovely Sue, looking absolutely gorgeous,’ enthused Alex, recalling the moment their eyes first met.
‘My legs were shaking,’ said Sue. ‘We had to sit on these big stools, and there was this big booming voice coming from the other side of the screen, which sounded charming, and all I could think was, “I hope he’s taller than me,” because I have this thing about boyfriends being taller than girlfriends.’
Thankfully, the screen came back to reveal 6’2 gentleman Alex, who towered over 5’6 Sue.
Alex and Sue’s wedding vow renewal
In October 2024, the couple returned to Michael & All Angels Church in Pelsall, West Midlands, where they first tied the knot 33 years earlier.
Family and friends gathered for the occasion, which was a far more intimate and personal experience than their original day, which millions practically attended also.
Still, nothing will likely beat that day, during which Alex thought his bride looked ‘as beautiful as ever’.
Only three couples said ‘I do’ after meeting on the dating game show in its 18-year run, but Alex and Sue’s is undeniably the most successful marriage.
‘My initial reaction was, “Box ticked!” He was quite fun, and he enjoyed my answers, so I knew we’d have a good time.’
And Sue was right. Straight from the studios in London, they were both immediately whisked off to Shannon, Ireland, where they tucked into a medieval banquet and enjoyed the Cliffs of Moher but stayed in a hotel five miles apart.
‘They were very keen to make sure we weren’t close to each other, but we clearly liked each other.’
On their return to London, it was straight back to filming in the studio to give their final decision: would there be a second date? Yes, there was, immediately.
‘I asked Sue what she was doing for the rest of the day,’ said Alex. Luckily, she had no plans, and off to London Zoo they went.
‘We were more than holding hands by the end of the day…’
Alex and Sue spent the next two years in a long-distance relationship; she was living in Walsall and he in London, but would devote weekends to each other.
Eventually, after a gentle nudge from Sue’s younger cousin Ben, Alex popped the question.
‘I said, “I’ve got two questions to ask you: the first one is, will you marry me, and the second one is, will you move to London?”’
‘I said, “yes and yes,” and that was that.’
In 1991, accompanied by matchmaker Cilla and six TV crews with their own production suite, Alex and Sue were married in a ceremony that was watched by 17million people for a Blind Date special.
Three decades later, Alex and Sue share two children, Emily, 29, and Charlie, 27, who have both walked down the aisle to their respective loves.
‘Very few people can say to their children, “This is the moment mummy laid eyes on daddy”.’
But with both Emily and Charlie having flown the nest in recent years, Alex and Sue are just ‘excited to plan’ the rest of their lives together.
‘The most important thing is we look after each other and enjoy whatever life throws at us after 32 years of happy marriage,’ said Alex. ‘We’re fantastic at laughing at life itself.
‘We’ve had a happy marriage, even though there’ve been various things life has thrown at us, but generally our philosophy is to hold hands and laugh at life, and it will all be alright.’
‘I’m already excited,’ smiled Sue.
A version of this article was first published on April 5, 2024.
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