David Mitchell's heartbreaking three-word confession about wife Victoria Coren

Edinburgh Live

19 hours ago

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David Mitchell has opened up about the profound melancholy that loomed over his earlier years, which he discusses in his memoir 'Back Story'.
In his heartrending disclosure, the Peep Show actor confessed to being "hopelessly in love" with Victoria Coren, who is now his wife, harbouring his unspoken affections for years before they finally got together, despite her initially rejecting him.
"I was hopelessly in love. I told no one about it," he reveals in his book. "I didn't tell my closest friends or my parents of the enormous sadness that overshadowed my life."
The adoration he felt for Victoria lingered in silence until she consented to a date years later.
"I waited three years. Isn't that weird? Aren't I odd? I can't explain it other than to say I couldn't do anything else," he reflects in his writing. "If only I'd known I just had to wait three years... I would gladly have suffered ten times as much."
Although he was devastated, the sharp-witted star kept his anguish well-concealed behind his characteristic self-effacing humour. "The problem is, I hate the sort of dating thing," he admits, reports the Express.
"I just find it incredibly awkward... I don't dislike being single enough to put myself through the pain."
David and Victoria, now host of BBC's Only Connect, instantly hit it off at their fatefully timed meeting during a Halloween party in 2007, having been introduced by fellow comedian David Baddiel.
Victoria confessed: "He specifically said to me, 'There's David Mitchell over there, I think you should probably marry him, I'll get the ball rolling by introducing you. I thought that was ridiculous but, a couple of hours later, I thought I would probably marry him," as reported by MSN. Initially, Victoria brushed off the suggestion, but by the end of the night, she was sold on the idea.
Despite their instant connection, it took several years before they embarked on their first official date.
"I thought that was ridiculous, but a couple of hours later, I thought I would probably marry him," she reminisces. Although they hit it off immediately, the timing wasn't quite right.
Victoria was still grieving the loss of her father, Alan Coren, who died from cancer in 2007.
David patiently bided his time, never pressuring her but always nurturing the hope of a shared future. Their first official date eventually happened in 2010, and they tied the knot in 2012.
David has never shied away from expressing his deep love for Victoria. "I am just incredibly proud that someone like Victoria wants to be with me," he declares.
"She has these amazing qualities, but fundamentally, we clicked. I fell in love with her."
In his memoir, he portrays her as "too wonderful" and "too right for me."
The couple celebrated the birth of their two daughters - Barbara Elizabeth in 2015 and June Violet in 2023.