Ben share two sons with wife, Annie (Image: ITV)
is one of Britain’s most beloved television presenters, celebrated for his charm and professionalism on shows like , , and .
While his career has been an open book, his personal life remains a largely private affair, giving fans only occasional glimpses of his world away from the cameras. Behind the scenes, Ben enjoys a happy and fulfilling life with his rarely-seen wife, Annie Perks, and their two teenage sons, Sam and Jack.
The couple, who met during their university days, have been together for nearly three decades and celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary earlier this year.
Annie, a talented interior designer and writer, has largely stayed out of the spotlight, preferring to focus on her family and creative pursuits. Together, the Shephards have created a beautiful home in Richmond, South-West London, where they live with their sons.
Though Ben occasionally shares snippets of his family life on social media, he is careful not to divulge too much, choosing instead to protect their privacy.
Here’s everything you need to know about Ben’s private life, including his love story, family home, and parenting journey.
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Ben and his interior design writer wife Annie have been married since 2004 (Image: Instagram )
University Sweetheart
Ben met Annie while studying at the University of Birmingham, where Annie studied Philosophy and led the Philosophy & Epistemology society. Their love story blossomed during their university days, and the couple began dating in 1995. Almost a decade later, on 25 March 2004, they tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony. Together, they have two sons: Sam, 19, and Jack, 17.
This year, Ben and Annie celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. Speaking about their relationship, Ben often shares heartwarming tributes to Annie on social media.
In one post, he shared a photo of Annie at the Chelsea Flower Show, where she looked radiant in a yellow multicoloured dress and matching boater hat. Ben wrote: “Mrs S in her element! Just spent the day at Royal Hospital Chelsea, it was so amazing to see the amazing gardens supported by Project Giving Back. So inspired, only problem is I think she’s now planning a garden makeover.”
Fans quickly flooded the comments with compliments for Annie, with one writing, “Your wife is a stunning woman,” another adding, “Looking very gorgeous Annie,” and a third gushing, “Oh she looks divine as ever.”
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Ben’s wife Annie loves to garden at their £4million pad (Image: Instagram )
Wife’s Flourishing Career
While Ben is a fixture on British television, Annie has quietly built an impressive career in media and design. Before becoming a mother, Annie worked for renowned fashion and interior design magazines, including House and Garden, Glamour, Elle Deco, Elle, and Red.
Now, Annie channels her passion for interior design and writing through her blog, The House Editor.
On her website, she writes: “For the last 15 years I’ve been raising our boys, knocking down and remodelling houses, building gardens out of mud-pits and running interiors projects. I’ve studied hard and taken excellent courses, so I’ve learned both the theory of design and I’ve also learned the hard way, by creating from the ground up, wellies on and spade in hand. After a few mistakes and a few more successes, my friends started to ask for help with their own interiors and gardens.”
Annie also shares her projects on social media, where she has a following of over 11,000 garden enthusiasts. Recently, she posted about her work in the garden, describing it as her “happy place.”
She shared: “I’ve been building this garden myself for three years. It’s a labour of love.”
Ben often shares videos from home on social media (Image: Instagram )
£4million Pad
In 2016, Ben and Annie moved into their dream home in Richmond, South-West London, after spending a year renovating the property. The house is estimated to be worth a whopping £4 million.
The spacious kitchen is one of the standout features, with a large wooden dining table that serves as a gathering spot for family meals. Ben often shares glimpses of their home on , where fans have seen the scenic garden, large French doors, and cozy living areas.
The living room boasts plush green sofas, candlesticks on a large wooden table, and a wall-mounted TV above the fireplace. One seating area features a comfy yellow chair and offers an alternative view of the stunning patio.
The garden is a family favourite, with apple trees, vegetable beds, and a fire pit on the patio. Ben has shared moments roasting marshmallows and hosting barbecues with his sons.
In one post, he wrote: “Post BBQ, marshmallow toasting! We also threw a bit of last year’s school work in the pit to purge the boys’ school pain!”
The pair share two son, Sam and Jack (Image: Instagram )
Two Sons
Ben and Annie are proud parents to their two sons, Sam and Jack, and often share moments of their busy family life. Earlier this year, Ben revealed that their eldest son, Sam, 19, had left for university.
Speaking on This Morning, Ben opened up about the emotional milestone, saying: “So he’s had freshers. It was all very emotional. This was him and Annie, he’s in Bristol. She was better than I was to be fair, I was really really emotional about it.”
He also shared a humorous anecdote about Sam adjusting to life on his own: “Sam left last week, we got a FaceTime call from Sam this morning at 7:30 asking, ‘Mum, how do I do laundry?’ He had all his clothes and he wanted approval from his mum!”
Ben added, “She (Annie) couldn’t have been happier that she’s still very needed.” His co-host, Cat, joked that Sam would soon bring his laundry home, to which Ben responded: “It was lovely to feel wanted.”