Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has opened up in heartbreaking detail about his wife Hannah Summers’ battle with endometriosis, a condition he described as “cruel, inexplicable, and unforgivable” after it nearly derailed their dreams of having a family.
Anton, who married Hannah in 2017, spoke candidly on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, recalling the pain of watching his wife suffer in silence while yearning for motherhood. “I saw how she cared for her nephews and thought, ‘She’s made to be a mum’. And yet life — or whoever’s up there — decided to make her suffer instead. That’s unforgivable.”
Hannah was diagnosed with endometriosis, a chronic and often painful condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body. The couple turned to IVF, and fortunately, their first attempt succeeded — leading to the birth of their twins, George and Henrietta.
Anton recalled feeling helpless through the IVF process. “It makes me emotional just thinking about it,” he admitted. “The injections, the bruising — on her stomach, thighs, bum. All I could do was hold her hand and say, ‘Tell me what you need’.”
He admitted his initial ignorance about endometriosis and is now calling for more investment in women’s healthcare. “You girls are extraordinary,” he said. “What you go through… we men can only watch and feel useless.”
Despite the heartbreak and trauma, the couple emerged stronger. Their twins arrived in 2017 — the same year they wed — bringing joy after years of struggle.
