After more than two decades together, Joanna Page and James Thornton have become a rare example of a celebrity couple willing to pull back the curtain on the real, sometimes messy, sometimes magical work of marriage. Page, best known for her role as Stacey in the beloved series Gavin & Stacey, has spoken candidly about the ups and downs of her 26-year partnership with Thornton, an actor she met on the set of the BBC’s David Copperfield years before they wed in December 2003. The couple now shares four children—Eva, 13, Kit, 10, Noah, 9, and Boe, 4—and a podcast that’s become as much a lifeline for their relationship as it is a window for their fans.
In a series of interviews with outlets such as MailOnline and the Daily Mail, Page has been refreshingly honest about the reality of long-term commitment. She doesn’t sugarcoat it: "If you're going through 26 years of marriage like me, it's not always going to be wonderful. It's going to be pretty rubbish, and sometimes, you end up hating each other, you get bored of each other, they will really annoy you, and suddenly it will be wonderful again." According to MailOnline, she attributes some of their clashes to their contrasting personalities—Thornton is "quite slow, and northern and measured," while she describes herself as "very manic and hysterical... impulsive and fiery."
Page’s frankness stands out in a world where celebrity relationships are often presented as endlessly blissful. She’s quick to point out that, “You can't be with someone for 26 years, and it be wonderful all the time. These days, people say, it's not working, let's just split up, and to go through 26 years, we're lucky because we have grown on the same path, so we still have the same thoughts and opinions.” Her advice? “Be prepared, you have to work at marriage, don't give up at the first sign of hard work. Always be kind and have a good sense of humour.”
The couple’s domestic life is, by Page’s own account, far from perfect. With four children under 14, the demands of parenting have left them feeling, at times, like “ships passing in the night.” Joanna shared with Daily Mail that “there's so much going on with the children that we don't have time to sit down and talk to each other.” The chaos of family life, especially the four years she spent co-sleeping with their youngest, Boe, put a strain on their intimacy and made reconnecting as a couple even more challenging. “During one episode, we talked about all the things that are better than getting back into my marital bed after four years of sleeping with Boe,” she said, highlighting the often-overlooked realities of marriage with young children.
Arguments, Page admits, are frequent and sometimes “massive”—but they’re also part of the fabric of their relationship. “We bicker all the time; we're not all lovey-dovey,” she told MailOnline. But for every rough patch, there’s a sense that things can—and do—become “wonderful again.” The couple’s ability to grow together, rather than apart, has been central to their longevity. “We have grown on the same path,” Page explained, noting that this has helped them maintain shared values and opinions even as they weather disagreements.
One of the unexpected tools that’s helped them stay connected is their podcast, Lush!. What started as a tentative experiment—Thornton was initially “reluctant” and “nervous” about co-hosting—has evolved into a form of “couple’s therapy.” Page recounted, “We went in on an argument, we actually weren't even speaking, and I just said, 'Right, come on', and it was like couples' therapy.” The act of sitting down together, away from the distractions of parenting, gave them a chance to talk, sometimes for hours. “We talked and talked and talked, and when it finished, he was like a new man, he was buzzing, and full of life, and we really connected.”
The podcast has also provided a space for the couple to be unfiltered and honest, not just with each other, but with their listeners. “There are loads of different things that have happened to us over the years, but sitting in a room and talking about our opinions, and asking our listeners, like we have had a whole debate about the heating. There's nothing off the table at all. We have been together for 26 years now, so there are no topics off limits,” Page told MailOnline. This willingness to be vulnerable in public has resonated with audiences, many of whom find comfort in hearing that even seemingly glamorous couples face the same struggles as everyone else.
Page’s reflections come at a time when, as she observes, many couples are quick to call it quits when things get tough. She worries that the expectation for constant happiness is unrealistic and sets couples up for disappointment. “These days, people say, 'It's not working, let's just split up,'” she told Daily Mail. Instead, she advocates for perseverance, kindness, and—crucially—humor. “Kindness and humour” are, in her view, the glue that keeps their relationship intact, even through the most “boring” or “rubbish” moments.
For Page and Thornton, the podcast isn’t just a side project—it’s a lifeline. It forces them to carve out time for one another, to reflect on their journey, and to find laughter in the chaos. As Page put it, “We know everything about each other, but it's quite liberating talking about those things and delving into those things.” And while the challenges of marriage haven’t disappeared, their willingness to share, to argue, to laugh, and to keep talking has made all the difference.
In a world obsessed with the highlight reel, Joanna Page’s story is a reminder that real love isn’t found in perfection, but in the willingness to stick together, to work through the hard times, and to find joy—even in the most ordinary days. After 26 years, Page and Thornton’s marriage is proof that the best relationships are those that weather the storms—and keep finding reasons to laugh together, no matter what.