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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Christian Abbott

Who is Simon Reeve? Inside his marriage and heartwarming story of his miracle child

Incredible Journeys with Simon Reeve is back on BBC Two tonight (Sunday, July 17) at 7.15pm, exploring some of the wildest and beautiful locations around the world.

Simon, 50, has made a name for himself as an expert in modern history, international conflicts and terrorist attacks.

He has been working as a documentary filmmaker for over 20 years and his latest series continues that work.

Simon also knew that he always wanted to be a father and for a long time he worried that it wouldn’t be possible after a visit to the doctor.

However, today he has his own family and has previously shared his son’s miraculous story.

Who is Simon Reeve?

Simon Reeve has been making documentary films for decades (BBC/The Garden Productions/Jonathan Young)

Not only is Simon Reeve a successful TV presenter, but he is also an author who has sold books on international terrorism, modern history, along with his travels.

His TV career actually started after the events of September 11, 2001, when he joined the BBC to make travel documentaries.

Photography runs in the family, as he is the younger brother of James Reeve, an award-winning photographer.

Who is Simon Reeve’s wife?

Simon had a 'love at first sight' moment when he met Anya at a party (WireImage)

Simon is married to another photographer, Anya, though he often keeps the details of their marriage private.

However, in 2018, ahead of his live show An Audience with Simon Reeve, the presenter let slip some details.

It even revealed how the two met at a party, saying: "We met at a rather glamorous party. I had a proper love at first sight moment.

“I saw Anya across the room, and that was it - I was instantly smitten."

Today, the pair live in Devon after relocating from London.

Simon continued: "I was pretty happy in London, but my wife, who's also a Londoner, said, 'We've got to move to the countryside.

“This is our chance to go and live somewhere healthier. She sort of forced me.

“Now whenever I say perhaps it might be a bit easier with my work if we moved back to London, my son tells me, 'You can, but I'm not going. I'll be really cross with you.' He loves it in the wild."

Simon Reeve’s miracle child

When Simon and Anya decided to try and have kids, they were hit with a shocking blow when doctors told them it would be almost impossible.

After months of trying, they decided to see a sperm specialist who broke the devastating news that it was his sperm that was the problem.

The expert said he was “basically infertile”.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Simon said: “I would not be able to have children. It was the starkest of messages: I could hardly take it in.

“She told me I had loads of sperm, but their morphology was terrible. We’d never heard the term before.

“‘Your sperm are deformed,’ said the expert. ‘They will never be able to break into Anya’s eggs.’”

It led to Anya suggesting he change his lifestyle and cut out anything that was unhealthy.

Simon added: “I overhauled my unhealthy diet. I exercised, doing intense British Military Fitness classes run by former Army instructors.”

It certainly made the difference, as today they share 11-year-old Jake together.

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