Alan Davies shares rare insight into how he met his wife Katie Maskell on quiz show QI and admits he ‘wasn’t easy to be with’ in candid chat

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Alan Davies has shared a rare insight into how he met his wife Katie Maskell in a candid chat.

The 59-year-old actor and comedian has been married to the 47-year-old writer since 2007. They first met in 2005 while working behind the scenes on the show QI.

Alan recently shared details about the meeting where he finally worked up the nerve to ask Katie on a date, after noticing her in the crowd.

Alan discovered Katie worked at a literary agency when one of her clients appeared on the QI show they were filming. He then asked for her phone number while they were both at the green room bar.

‘She didn’t have her glasses on and that worked in my favour,’ he joked. 

Alan shared details about the difficult experiences of his childhood in the chat, following his recent revelation that he was abused by his father.

Alan recently told The Times that he and Katie wanted to create a home for their children, Eve and Bobby, that was a stark contrast to the one he grew up in.

He explained that his father was abusive, and when he tried to talk about it with his brother as a teenager, his brother didn’t believe him. They haven’t spoken since.

He explained that he finally understood events from his childhood, and how they affected his relationship with Katie.

He admitted he used to be difficult, saying, “Honestly, Katie probably would have ended things with me years ago if she hadn’t understood how my upbringing affected me and why I reacted the way I did.”

Earlier this month, Alan shared that his brother stopped talking to him after Alan had their father arrested due to abusive behavior.

I was really moved by the comedian’s recent interview. He bravely opened up about a really difficult childhood, and it was heartbreaking to hear him say his family would rather he’d kept it all private. He talked about how strained things were with his brothers and sisters, and it was clear how much pain he still carries from those fractured relationships.

Alan experienced sexual abuse at the hands of his father from ages eight to thirteen. This occurred after his mother passed away from leukemia when he was six.

I’ve been following his story for years, and it’s so inspiring to see how far he’s come. For a long time, he battled with alcohol and a quick temper, things he later traced back to a difficult childhood. It wasn’t until he started therapy that he was finally able to really understand what had happened to him. That’s when, about eight years ago, he found the strength to go to the police and deal with it all.

In his 2020 memoir, *Just Ignore Him*, he opened up about the abuse he suffered and how it affected his upbringing, ultimately leading him into difficult times.

Alan explained to The Telegraph that when abuse happens within a family – which is often the case – people naturally feel hesitant to come forward, as families typically side with the abuser rather than the person being harmed.

He explained that his relationship with his older brother ended after he had their father arrested. His brother even stopped sending birthday cards to his nieces and nephews. He still maintains some family connection through his sister, and occasionally sees her son.

They’d rather I kept quiet, honestly. But this issue is too important to ignore just because it’s uncomfortable. It needs to be brought to light.

In 2017, Alan reported his father, who was still living, but authorities determined the father couldn’t be prosecuted. He was in his eighties, suffered from dementia, and was living in a care facility.

In a 2021 interview on Lorraine, he explained to guest host Cat Deeley that children shouldn’t have to carry the burden of secrets or shame. He shared this while talking about his memoir, *Just Ignore Him*, which revealed details of the abuse he experienced.

Alan explained to Cat that it had taken him a while to feel comfortable talking about the tough parts of his childhood. He shared that he hadn’t been able to work those experiences into his stand-up comedy routines.

Alan Davies, known for his role in Jonathan Creek, revealed that his memoir prompted friends to come forward with their own stories of childhood abuse. He feels this connection and the sharing of these experiences is the most meaningful outcome of writing the book.

As someone who’s spent a lot of time exploring personal growth, I can tell you it’s often a journey to find the right space to truly open up. For me, it took years to discover where I could comfortably share some of the tougher experiences from my childhood. I’ve tried using stand-up as an outlet, but it just didn’t feel right. Ultimately, I found that writing this book was the way I could finally address those things.

I’ve had several people, including some I know quite well, reach out to me after reading my book. They’ve shared that they’ve experienced similar things, and we’ve had normal conversations about it, just like chatting over tea.

He went on to say that he believed the most important takeaway from his book was the hope that it would encourage others to reach out and talk to someone. He explained that keeping secrets and feeling shame can be incredibly damaging for a child.

These burdens begin in childhood and stay with you forever, negatively affecting everything you do, your experiences, and all your relationships.

He explained that writing the book is helpful because persistent thoughts and memories are always present.

It took me about two years to write this, and it felt like a rewarding process of bringing something meaningful into existence. I really put my heart into choosing the right words.

Alan had a very challenging childhood, deeply affected by the loss of his mother when he was only six. This was then compounded by years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse inflicted by his father.

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2025-09-29 14:34