Robbie Williams dumped Ayda Field a number of times before they got married.
The pair first met in 2006 and although they had an instant connection, Ayda, 41, has revealed that over the next few years – before they wed in 2010 – Robbie, 46, frequently broke up with her.
Speaking to The Times newspaper, she said: "The most generous way of describing his breaking-up methods is ‘questionable’. But I was in love with him. He was a lovely, beautiful human and he was just so charming and funny and amazing. He had my heart. He was my soulmate. He used to say, ‘I’m never getting married and I’m never having kids.’ We laugh at that now.
"For the most part, we just get along. I value his opinion. I trust his answers. And he makes me laugh more than any other human on the planet."
The couple now have four children, Teddy, seven, Charlie, five, 18-month-old Coco and baby, Beau, who was born in February, and former actress Ayda admitted she never thought she’d have kids before she met Robbie.
She said: "Then this cheeky boy from Stoke came into my life and completely side-railed my plans. All of a sudden I wanted to have a baby with this man. I can’t believe we have four, but it feels wonderful, beyond our wildest dreams. I would be very surprised if there are any more, but never say never."
Ayda said the pair take it in turns to be the strict parent but she feels like Robbie is more easygoing than her.
She explained: "You don’t want to be bad cop too much because then you’re just the sh***y parent. Sometimes I feel like Rob has to step up his bad cop game. If it was left to him, the kids would bathe in ice cream and popcorn. Rob and I didn’t grow up like this. We have no idea how to navigate it."