'I didn't know I'd been through the menopause'

Kate Humble explains how her and her husband's unconventional lifestyle suits them perfectly

- By Vicki Power

This month, Kate Humble, 53, celebrated her 30th wedding anniversary to TV producer Ludo Graham. 'In showbiz years, that's like 120 at least!' laughs the cheery, down-to-earth presenter of much-loved outdoorsy shows like Springwatch, A Country Life for Half the Price, Kate Humble's Coastal Britain, and Escape to the Farm with Kate Humble, which is returning to Channel 5 soon.

Kate is refreshingly candid when it comes to revealing why she thinks her marriage to Ludo has worked so well. They first met when she was 16 and he was 24, and got together some years later.

The secret of their success, she says, was never having children. 'I think not having them gives you a liberation that parents don't have,' muses Kate. 'You grow and change a lot over 30 years, and in a lot of ways we've had the space to allow each other to do that.

'We don't have great expectations of each other, either, explains Kate. 'I don't expect him to be the breadwinner; he doesn't expect me to be the mother. Even in these more modern, liberated times, you see relationships where roles are very fixed.

'But Ludo and I don't have the pressure that I think parents have to conform to a role. And that has allowed us to grow and change.'

Kate has always been open about the fact that she never wanted to be a mum. 'For me, it was never a decision; it was just a fact,' says Kate. 'Not a medical fact, but just not for me.