Jamie Oliver and wife Juliette ‘Jools’ tied the knot for a second time last year in the Maldives – but he wasn’t entirely on board at first.
The celebrity chef, 49, has been married to his wife for 24 years and the loved-up couple share five children – Poppy Honey, 22, Daisy Boo, 21, Petal Blossom, 15, Buddy, 13, and eight-year-old River Rocket.
To celebrate both their marriage and thriving family, the Oliver clan headed to the Maldives in April 2023 to mark 23 years since Jamie and Jools’ nuptials (in a delayed 20th anniversary celebration).
The lavish ceremony – held at the Soneva Fushi resort -was also a chance for the whole family to build more special memories before ‘the kids all start leaving the nest’ as Jamie penned in his social media in a post last year.
In a new interview, the TV cook opened up about his mixed feelings about the sun-soaked affair which he called a ‘posh holiday’.
‘We were going to renew our vows at 20 years and then Covid happened. So, it was at 23 years. The girls were leaving for university and stuff, so it did feel like the nest was starting to break up,’ he told Newlyweds hosts Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo.
The TV personality continued: ‘We’d never been on what you would call a posh holiday, so we went to the Maldives.
‘I was a bit embarrassed about the whole thing, if I’m really honest, and I wasn’t so into it until we got there, and then when we got there, I think I probably enjoyed it more than anyone. It was just so nice’.
In the end, the whole experience turned out to be thoroughly worth it and ‘really, really, emotional’. Especially compared to the first go around in 2000 which Jamie also found a difficult ordeal.
‘The first time you get married, it’s like, it just feels a bit awkward and embarrassing.
‘But if you ever get married again, if you get to 10 years or 20 years, the words are different. Because you’ve earned every single line and it was really, really emotional,’ he explained.
‘The words are still the same words, but they mean different things. Basically, like shit we’ve done it like, wow. And then you look around, there’s all these amazing kids that you’ve made. Yeah, it was incredible.’
It echoes the sentiment he shared with fans last year in which he called the ceremony ‘really special, funny and romantic’.
The couple did a take two just a year later as they jetted off to Las Vegas for second vow renewal in June, featuring an Elvis Presley impersonator, to celebrate their 24th wedding anniversary.
In an Instagram post sharing pictures from the occasion, which took place at Graceland Wedding Chapel, Jamie said it was ‘really good fun’ while Jools joked: ‘Thank you for indulging my LOVE for Elvis.
‘I know this marriage has ‘3 people in it… but you get me like NO other!’ She added.
Time will tell how they decide to mark their 25th year together, given its importance as the silver anniversary.
The proud parents are marking a lot of milestones in recent years. Last summer they celebrated as their eldest daughter Poppy graduated from university.
In July, Jamie caused a bit of a stir after he opened up about histough approach to parenting, as life wasn’t supposed to be ‘easy’.
He said at the time: ‘Confidence, worry and anxiety are all part of a cauldron of emotions that challenge us.
‘When you’re young, they can present themselves as things that hold you back. But, as you get older, [they provide] a tension that makes you do your best work.
‘Life’s not supposed to be linear or easy. I want my kids to struggle as much as possible, in a safe and controlled way. If it’s too easy, it’s really vanilla.’
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