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Penny Lancaster broke down in tears as she recounted her and Rod Stewart’s emotional love story in a new BBC festive special.
The couple met back in 1999 when Penny, now 54, was a student at Barking College, and Rod, now 80, was performing.
After welcoming their first son Alistair, 20, in 2005 the pair went on to tie the knot in 2007 before welcoming their second son Aiden, 14, in 2011.
And looking back at their love story for the first episode of series two of Anita Rani’s My Life At Christmas, Penny was overcome with emotion as she repeatedly broke down throughout the interview, while Rod even shed a tear himself.
Discussing how they first met, Penny revealed it wasn’t until nine months after first exchanging numbers that Rod reached out to take Penny out.
They originally met in the wake of Rod’s divorce to his second wife Rachel Hunter, who he was married to from 1990 until 2006.
And anticipating that his best pal wasn’t ready to meet the love of his life yet, Rod’s band leader Carmine Appice withheld Penny’s number from the musician until he was in a better place.
Recalling the story, Rod explained: ‘He was an absolute gentleman, he was band leader and bass player and he kept her telephone away from me.
‘He didn’t think I was in the right position because I had just got a divorce and didn’t know if I was coming or going and he said I will give it to you when I think you are ready.’
He joked: ‘I should of fired him but I couldn’t!’
Penny then began to well up with tears as she added: ‘Carmine had kept that telephone number away from him.
‘He said “you are going to go a bit crazy over the summer and let your hair down and Penny seems like a nice girl”.’
After hearing nothing from her future husband, she explained: ‘I really thought that was the last I would see of Rod. I remember processing those photos I took of Rod [at his concert] and thinking, what a lovely memory and that was that.’
However once Rod was ready he reached out and the pair began dating and Penny was welcomed into his blended family.
Prior to welcoming two sons with Penny, Rod was already a father to six children from previous relationships.
The star put his first child up for adoption, Sarah, 62, who he welcomed with his ex-girlfriend Susannah Boffey when he was just 17, he later formed a relationship with her.
He then had daughter Kimberly, 46, and son Sean, 45, with his ex-wife Alana Stewart and a daughter Ruby, 38, with his ex-girlfriend Kelly Emberg.
While married to his ex-wife Rachel Hunter, the Faces frontman had two more children, Renee, 33, and Liam, 31.
Opening up about what it was like stepping into that dynamic, Penny once again broke down in tears as she admitted she is now in a place with his children that she ‘never thought I would get’.
Explaining what it was like to enter into the family she said: ‘I tiptoed very lightly. Because there were lots of personalities, and more important there were children ranging from all ages.
‘From Liam who was five when we first met through to teenagers to Kimberly who was just about to turn 21 so it was delicate and they were children from different mothers.
‘It was a scenario I had never faced before and I thought I need to stay in the background but be present and there if they want to approach me.
‘I just wanted to take my time and it took a long time,’ attempting to hold back her sobs she continued, ‘but we got there and we have got to a place that I never thought I would get to with them.’
Rod added: ‘I must admit the kids adore her now, they look for her for advice.’
Later in the interview Penny was once again overcome with tears as she recounted the emotional moment the couple met the Pope in 2018.
Explaining how they won the chance to meet the late Pope Francis through a charity bid, Penny was deeply moved by the experience.
‘As the Pope Francis came along the eye contact that we got was very powerful.
‘He spent quite a time with us and he placed both our hands on top of each other and placed his hand on top of ours.’
Filling up with tears, Anita asked: ‘What did that mean to you?’
Struggling to get her words out Penny gushed: ‘It sort of cemented all the wishes that Rod and I had for one another. All those sort of prayers that we had had quietly.
‘He gave us two rosary beads too and he blessed us as well and it made us feel like… it was all our destiny.’
However Penny wasn’t the only one to get emotional after Rod also shed a tear at the end of the interview as he revealed the secret to their 25 year relationship.
He explained: ‘I think the age difference, there are downsides to it, but there is a maturity I may have taught Penny and there is an honesty she has taught me.
‘We do not argue before we go to bed and we do not argue after a glass of wine and if we do have arguments it is over real quick.
Rod was then left choking back tears himself as he continued: ‘I try to teach my kids, all of them, that real men say sorry, that’s what they do.
‘There is a wonderful honestly between us and long may it last.’
