Loose Women legend Janet Street Porter has stunned viewers after revealing she has married for the fifth time — delivering the bombshell announcement during a surprise live TV moment that left both fans and co-stars reeling.
The outspoken journalist, now 79, shared the joyful news during a special segment at the end of today’s ITV Loose Women, after teasing throughout the show that she had “something big” to reveal.
Appearing via live video link alongside her new husband Peter Spanton — and their beloved dog, Badger — Janet finally broke her silence.
Smiling into the camera, she told viewers:
“Hi everyone, I’ve been keeping a big secret. It’s my big news for everyone watching…
Peter and me got married on Saturday.
So there you are. I finally did it. I saved the best till last.”
The studio erupted with applause as her Loose Women co-stars Brenda Edwards, Kaye Adams, Sue Cleaver and Nadia Sawalha rushed to congratulate her.
An emotional Brenda shouted: “Congratulations, Janet!”
While Kaye jokingly pointed out: “Husband number five,” prompting Brenda to quip: “Stop counting the numbers!”
Kaye added warmly: “She looks content, radiant and happy.”
Janet and Peter tied the knot last Saturday in Great Yarmouth, after knowing each other for an astonishing 27 years. Despite their long history, the couple have largely kept their relationship away from the public eye.
This latest marriage marks Janet’s fifth walk down the aisle. Her previous marriages include architect and photographer Tim Street-Porter, whom she wed while studying architecture; Time Out editor Tony Elliott; film director Frank Cvitanovich, who was 19 years her senior; and a brief marriage in her fifties to David Sorkin, then aged just 27.
Reflecting on her colourful romantic past, Janet once told The Guardian:
“I’ve been married four times and lived with a lot of blokes — I know how men’s minds work.
What have all the men I’ve been with got in common? They’re all pathetically grateful.”
Despite her famously tough exterior, Janet has also revealed a softer, sentimental side. Speaking on Loose Women, she admitted:
“Wedding rings, engagement rings — yes, I’ve got them all filed in a chest of drawers.”
Janet has been in a relationship with Peter Spanton, a former restaurateur and entrepreneur, since 1999, though the pair have rarely spoken publicly about their private life — until now.
The TV star does not have children and has long been candid about her choice. In her columns, she has repeatedly insisted there is “no stigma in choosing not to breed.”
“I don’t miss having kids,” she once wrote.
“Men are far more demanding — especially creative, imaginative men who live in their own heads.
I wouldn’t swap a smart man for a toddler or a goldfish.”
After nearly three decades together — and a surprise ceremony that caught even her co-stars off guard — Janet’s latest chapter proves that, even at 79, she still knows how to shock, delight and keep everyone guessing.
