Hugh Dennis' life from 'secret wedding' to off-screen romance with co-star

Hugh Dennis is set to dazzle viewers as he enters the culinary battlefield on ITV's Cooking with the Stars. The comedian will join eight fellow celebrities in a fierce kitchen showdown, each paired with a professional chef.

The Outnumbered favourite has been matched with April Jackson, who will serve as his culinary guide throughout the competition. However, Jackson's support comes with strict limitations - she's forbidden from offering assistance during the dreaded Eliminator Cook-Off.

During these tense moments, mentors must remain silent spectators before tasting both contestants' creations and delivering the crushing verdict on who advances and who departs - potentially axing their own pupil. Emma Willis and Tom Allen helm the Sunday evening programme, which broadcasts on ITV at 7pm.

As the funnyman prepares to showcase his kitchen prowess, attention naturally turns to his domestic arrangements and culinary responsibilities at home. This curiosity stems from the actor's "secret wedding" and surprising co-star romance that captivated the media spotlight recently, reports the Mirror.

Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner stunned Outnumbered devotees when their real-life relationship was revealed. They transformed the beloved on-screen parents, Sue and Peter Brockman, from the cherished comedy series into an actual couple.

The telly duo reportedly formed a close connection after both experienced the breakdown of their marriages, and by the time the 2016 Christmas special aired, rumours swirled that they had begun dating.

Hugh was previously married to Catherine Abbot-Anderson in 1996. They have two children, Freddie and Meg, and their marriage ended in divorce in 2015.

Claire's marriage to Chris Palmer also dissolved in 2016. The couple, who married in 2001, have two sons, including the actor William, known professionally as Bill Skinner.

Before the pair could go public with their relationship, a mutual friend spilled the beans, claiming they'd been secretly seeing each other for some time, catching many off guard.

In 2018, an insider told The Sun: "They were going through marriage breakdowns at very similar times, but it was quite a while after their separation that they got together last year.

"Between the end of the last series of Outnumbered in 2014 and the Christmas special in 2016, they didn't actually see each other for two years. They've always been really friendly, but they were living their own lives until they were both single."

After relentless press speculation, Hugh and Claire eventually revealed that they were indeed blissfully cohabitating, and said to be in a lavish £1.2 million penthouse in London.

Back in 2018, Hugh confessed to the Mail on Sunday: "That happened I suppose about a year and a half ago. We did an Outnumbered Christmas special about three years ago and then met up again about a year and a half ago. I am very, very happy, we are so very happy. It's nice and yes, it's so lovely."

Despite having developed a close relationship since the Outnumbered Christmas special, Claire and Hugh have managed to keep their romance out of the public eye.

In 2018, Hugh's daughter Meg finally spoke out. Following the revelation, she disclosed to The Daily Mail: "I am aware of what has happened. My mother does not want to talk about it. Neither do I."

A year on, with the initial surprise having subsided, Claire shared her astonishment at the public interest in their relationship during an interview with The Times, stating that everyone was now supportive and "happy with it".

She remarked, "Nobody really noticed when Hugh Dennis and I first got into a relationship. The news didn't come out until a year later, which was great.

"People were saying that someone would notice soon, but I kept responding, 'We're both over 50. Why would anyone be interested in that?' We have families that we wanted to protect, but now everybody's pretty cool and happy with it."

By 2025, rumours abounded that Outnumbered co-stars Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner had tied the knot in secret back in 2022.

Speculation about their marital status was ignited when Hugh was spotted with a wedding ring during his stint on ITV's Lorraine.

The Daily Mail reported that Claire, too, was seen donning her ring in December 2024 while promoting the latest Outnumbered Christmas special.

An insider reportedly close to the pair confided to the newspaper: "This is a real TV love story. They delighted fans when they fell in love outside of the show, having managed to keep it quiet.

"They are a low-key couple who wanted to keep this special for them. Only their family and close friends have known."

Cooking with the Stars airs on ITV1, from 7pm on Sunday. The show can also be streamed via ITVX.