15 February 2024 , 08:36
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Michael McIntyre thought he'd landed a role in his own romantic comedy when he met his wife Kitty, but they didn't initially get their happy ending.
The popular comedian, 47, fell for her instantly, but it wasn't the same story for Kitty Ward, whom his grandmother disapproved of. But more than two decades later, the pair are now happily married with two young boys, Lucas and Oscar.
Michael often draws on his family life for inspiration for his relatable stand-up act. He pokes fun at the highs and lows of raising a family, while he doesn't shy away from the trials and tribulations of marriage.
In recent times, the funnyman has transitioned into presenting, with him hosting the hit BBC game show The Wheel, which sees a bunch of celebrities tested on their general knowledge in a bid to help three lucky contestants. And more recently, he is back on screen on Saturday nights for his Michael McIntyre's Big Show.
Michael McIntyre is back on Saturday night TV with his Big Show (BBC/Hungry McBear/)No doubt Kitty has supported the star during his successful career as one of the most recognisable British comedians, but it hasn't always been smooth sailing for the couple. Here, The Mirror takes a look at Michael's life away from the cameras...
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It wasn't quite love at first sight for Kitty McIntyre and Michael McIntyre (Getty Images)
The funnyman will often draw inspiration from family life for his stand-up routines (LightRocket via Getty Images)In his 2010 book, Life and Laughing, Michael admitted that Kitty, an aromatherapist, wasn't quite as smitten as he was when they first locked eyes, writing: "She was the girl I had been looking for. In the romantic comedy that was my life, this would have made a good ending. We would fall happily ever after. Within moments of seeing her and chatting to her, I was totally up for that ending. Unfortunately, she wasn't." Fortunately, Kitty eventually ended up reciprocating Michael's feelings, and the loved-up pair tied the knot in 2003.
According to Michael, not all members of his family were too happy about him getting a girlfriend, and - in a shocking obstacle to their ultimately happy love story - his grandmother even tried to split them up. During an episode of BBC Radio 4's Dessert Island Discs, Michael divulged: "Unfortunately my grandma didn't really like it when I got a girlfriend. She was trying to break us up, which was funny for a while but then it became quite vicious, an untenable situation."
Although Kitty prefers to stay out of the limelight, she comes from a rather famous family. Her father Simon Ward was an acclaimed actor in film and theatre, who starred in classic movies such as The Three Musketeers (1973) and Young Winston (1972), starring alongside the likes of Oliver Reed and Christopher Lee. Kitty's sister, the actress and writer Sophie Ward, has followed in their father's footsteps, appearing in films such as Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) and Jane Eyre (2011). After Simon's death in 2012 at the age of 70, Michael spoke fondly of his father-in-law, stating: "He was one of my closest friends. He would come to my gigs in the early days."
The family reportedly live in a £10m pad (PA)
Kitty's father Simon Ward (EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS)After his net worth soared to more than £75million in 2020 thanks to his BBC career and Netflix deal, Michael invested in an eight-bedroom London home. The property, which is said to be worth £10million, has a swimming pool, cinema room, and gym facilities. The family of four also have a home in Wiltshire. Joking about fatherhood during one of his sets, Michael quipped: "You never love your children more than when they're unconscious, but still breathing."
In 2018, Michael was maliciously targeted for his wealth and fell victim to a brutal mugging whilst on the school run. The comedian had been waiting outside his son's school in the posh north London suburb of Golders Green, when masked men on mopeds smashed the window to his Range Rover and demanded he hand over his £15,000 Rolex watch.
Despite the terrifying incident, Michael continued to perform on stage the same week as part of his ongoing Big World Tour. Kitty also insisted to the BBC that the family had no ongoing concerns for their safety.
At the time, an onlooker told The Mirror that Michael wasn't in a good way after the robbers hammered their way through the driver's window of his car. "Michael looked distraught and in a state of shock after what happened," the witness said. "It must have been terrifying. A woman who looked like his wife also seemed very upset and in tears."