Harry Redknapp has been causing a stir in the I’m a Celebrity camp, having chosen to eliminate Seann Walsh instead of David Haye, despite the boxer’s controversial comments that have angered some fans.
One failsafe supporter who will be cheering the former Premier League manager, 79, on from home is his wife of 58 years, Sandra. The couple have been married since 1967, and she has been by his side through major life events, from his car accident in 1990 to leading Portsmouth to win the FA Cup in 2008 – but she admitted that some parts of their marriage have been “hard.”
“Being married to someone like Harry or any of these men in the football world is quite hard sometimes.
“You try to keep things normal, but it can be a struggle. Harry drives me mad sometimes. It can feel like there’s not enough time for us,” she confessed in an interview with the Daily Mail in 2018.
When asked about their secret to a long-lasting marriage, especially with someone who’s lived in the spotlight for decades, Sandra added that she has simply tried to remain a quiet supporter in the “background.”
She said: “You’ve just got to be there in the background and support them all the way. There’s no big mystery, you’ve just got to be there.”
Love story
Harry and Sandra first crossed paths at their local pub, Two Puddings in Stratford, aged 17, where he saw her dancing with a friend and immediately knew she was the one.
They went on to tie the knot on 30 June 1967 at Barking Abbey church, close to where they both grew up, followed by a modest reception at a local social club. Harry and Sandra are now parents to sons Mark and Jamie Redknapp, and they have been praised for their candid relationship confessions over the years.
Marriage confessions
Harry previously described Sandra as “very quiet and very shy,” which was “different” to his outgoing personality.
One example of their approach to the spotlight was after the footballer was crowned King of the Jungle during his first stint on the reality TV show in 2018, and media interest in their relationship began to spike.
“I’m so lucky to be married to Sandra. She’s looked after me. She’s my life to be honest,” he told GB News.
“Sandra is very different to me. She’s very quiet and very shy. She’s quite happy just spending time with the family and would rather take a backseat.
“After I won I’m A Celebrity all these offers were coming in for interviews and I said, ‘Come on Sandra, I’ll give you half the money’. To be honest she’s still waiting!”
Despite not always seeing eye to eye, Harry said that they pride themselves on their patience and their ability to avoid arguments.
During an interview with HELLO! in 2019, Harry shared his relationship advice: “Keep calm. It’s like people get road rage – 10 seconds and it will calm down. Don’t argue.”
Heaping praise on his beloved wife, Harry continued: “She is so placid you couldn’t have a row with Sandra if you tried. If I ever do get uptight, she goes, ‘Look at you, calm down.’ And then five seconds later, I have calmed down, and that’s it really.”
