‘They’re absolutely smitten’: Strictly star Jacqui Smith, 63, is engaged to politics professor after six-year romance

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As a former Strictly star, Jacqui Smith is no stranger to sparkles and glitter.

Recently, people have been noticing the sparkling diamond ring worn by the former home secretary on her wedding finger.

The Daily Mail has learned that Baroness Smith, a 63-year-old government minister in the Department of Education, is engaged to her partner, a politics professor, after dating for six years.

The former Labour MP, who remarried in her late fifties after a thirty-year marriage ended, was spotted in the House of Lords on Monday wearing a noticeable, sparkling ring.

Skills Minister Gillian Keegan and her fiancé, Professor Graham Timmins – nicknamed ‘Page Three Boy’ after their relationship was publicized in 2020 – were seen together outside a yoga class. The couple is planning to get married in August.

I was listening to Iain Dale’s podcast, ‘Where Politics Meets History,’ and he was talking about the wedding! It’s funny to think back to when we used to debate on ‘Good Morning Britain’ – he’s a friend, and it’s great to hear his take on everything.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! Someone asked him about a wedding he was going to in August, and he just casually dropped that he’s going to Jacqui Smith’s wedding! Yes, the Jacqui Smith! And get this – she’s marrying a former Page Three boy! I’m seriously losing it right now, it’s the most amazing news ever!

I was so happy when she told me the news right after Christmas! Her partner, Graham – you might recognize him as that Page Three Boy – is just a genuinely lovely person, and they really deserve all the happiness.

‘They’re absolutely smitten and devoted to each other.’

People learned about their connection when she competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2020. She was Anton Du Beke’s last dance partner before he became a judge on the show.

The former Home Secretary connected with Professor Timmins, a well-respected University of Birmingham academic, through Zoom after first meeting in her hometown of Malvern, Worcestershire.

‘We crossed on the stairs and I thought, ‘He’s nice’,’ she said of the couple’s first encounter.

But the Covid lockdown meant much of their early relationship was conducted via video conferencing.

They discovered a shared hobby in exercise and are both members of their local running club.

Once restrictions eased, Professor Timmins, who is divorced and has two grown-up daughters, was seen visiting Baroness Smith’s house, where she lives with her two sons, James and Michael.

She revealed she and her husband, Richard Timney, separated in January 2020, ending their 33-year marriage.

After a really tough divorce where I discovered my ex had been unfaithful, I honestly felt lost and a little heartbroken. I decided to try dating apps as a way to reclaim my life and see what was out there. It felt like a fresh start, a way to move forward after feeling completely blindsided.

The former home secretary, the first woman to hold the position, said losing her marriage was far more painful than the end of her time in politics. She revealed her husband had told her he was seeking a new relationship.

She explained they attempted marriage counseling to resolve their issues before deciding to end their relationship in 2018.

When asked on the How to be 60 podcast which was more difficult – the end of her political career or her marriage – Baroness Smith stated that the divorce was more challenging.

I always expected my time in politics would eventually be over – my district wasn’t very secure – but I truly believed my marriage would last a lifetime. I pictured us growing old together, being with each other until the very end. I simply assumed that’s how things would be.

I always believed that marriage meant a lifelong commitment – you marry someone and spend your life with them. After being married for over 30 years, I genuinely expected my husband and I to grow old together.

It felt like a complete betrayal when he was unfaithful, especially because he immediately followed it up by saying he wanted something different for the next thirty years. That completely changed my expectations for the future, and I’m now having to rethink and rebuild my plans for my sixties.

After a scandal involving inappropriate expenses – specifically, claims for pornographic films – the politician left her position in 2009. She then lost her seat representing Redditch in the next election, in 2010.

After Keir Starmer became prime minister following the 2024 election, he appointed her as Minister of State for Skills and granted her a life peerage.

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2026-01-14 02:19