The Coronation Street star, 79, tied the knot with businessman David, 80, in an intimate London ceremony last September — just over a year after they first met. But despite the whirlwind nature of their romance, Maureen admitted their connection felt instant and profound, saying it somehow felt like they had known each other for their entire lives.
Opening up about their relationship, she shared that she quickly realised she wanted to be with him “24/7”, and when she moved into his home, it felt as though her heart was telling her she had finally come home.
Reflecting on their happiness, Maureen didn’t hold back, saying she wished anyone her age who was alone could experience the same joy she has found. She described their bond as something incredibly rare, adding that she hopes she doesn’t “mess it up” now that she has found someone to care for — and someone who equally wants to care for her.
Their love story comes after years of heartbreak for both. Maureen lost her first husband, screenwriter Jack Rosenthal, in 2004 after three decades of marriage, and later endured the death of long-term partner Guido Castro in 2021.
David, meanwhile, had been married to his wife Frances for 50 years before she passed away from Alzheimer’s in 2022. He recalled the pain of caring for her in her final years, admitting it was heartbreaking to hold her hand and watch her slowly disappear, describing the helplessness as something that broke him.
At first, he wasn’t ready to find love again. But everything changed after meeting Maureen. He said the turning point came when he realised that if anything ever happened to her, he would want to be the one taking care of her.
The couple are also acutely aware of time. David reflected that while youth makes life feel endless, reaching your seventies changes everything — time suddenly feels faster, more fragile. Whether they have one year or twenty together, he said, the only thing that matters now is making those years as happy as possible.
However, their newly married life is about to face its first real test. Maureen is preparing to go on a UK tour for her new show Allegra from May to July — marking the first extended period the couple will spend apart.
Admitting the separation will be difficult, she confessed her priorities have shifted, saying she no longer wants to put work above everything else if it risks damaging what they have built together. She added that she doesn’t want to rock the boat too much, because what they share is too special to take for granted.
Their engagement story is just as unexpected as their romance. Maureen revealed she was the one who proposed — dropping to one knee on a train in 2024 after learning about a Jewish tradition that allows women to ask the question. She joked that she couldn’t resist the moment, even though she had previously been against the idea of marriage — and was surprised when David said yes.
Their children’s reactions were warm but varied, with one admitting they needed time to process the news, while others embraced the moment — one scene even unfolding like something out of a Jack Rosenthal play, as Maureen fondly described it.
Now, after decades of love, loss, and second chances, Maureen says what she has found with David is something truly extraordinary — a reminder that even in life’s later chapters, happiness can still arrive when you least expect it.