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“I WAS SO SHOCKED WHEN THE SUPERINTENDENT REGISTRAR, WHO IS THE REAL BIG WIG, RANG ME THE NEXT DAY AND SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST INTERVIEWS HE HAD EVER DONE, AND I WAS AMAZING!”
got the job and loved it, but after three and a half years I decided to have a real change and moved to London and got a job, doing the same thing but in Lambeth.When I got the job, I cried as I couldn’t believe it and moving to London was a huge change, but I was very excited! My daughter came with me, but my son was 14 and at school and he wanted to stay to finish his studies, so he lived with my parents. They were so supportive and said, “What is the worst that can happen? You can always come back.” I live by that mantra now. So, I moved south and privately rented a flat with my younger sister who moved six months after me. A year later, we got our own places via a housing association. I stayed at Lambeth for three years until I moved jobs to Islington where I have been for the past 21 years. FTB: Have you had any memorable moments in your career? CG: I conducted the first same sex civil partnership ceremony in Islington in 2005 and made history by doing the first opposite sex civil partnership at midnight in 2014. I also did register the first and only Scientology wedding that has taken place as far as I know in England. I have married approximately over 20,000 people to date, including conducting my twin sister’s wedding in 2011, and have some wonderful memories and very happy stories. FTB: Tell us about your TV career? CG: I had only been working at Islington for about four months when I was asked to attend the first wedding to take place on the London Eye, which was live on what was then called GMTV – Lorraine Kelly was there, and it was so amazing. That led on to me working on The Wedding House in 2010. It was an eight-part series, and I married 46 couples in 25 days! There was me, a wedding planner and a seamstress and we were the presenters as well. Couples had to forfeit all control and didn’t see anything until the big day itself. It was brilliant and became a real cult television show. There were all sorts of different themes including Alice in Wonderland and a masquerade ball – it was really great fun. I had to take time off work to take part, but it was worth it. I then got a call from a production company who asked me if I would be the registrar on Married at First Sight on Channel 4. It was a bold social experiment where single people, matched by experts, marry total strangers, who they meet for the very first time on their wedding day.Then Covid came along and there was no work and afterwards they decided not to marry the couples but do a commitment wedding which is what they do on the Australian version. I didn’t do any more until I was asked to do another
show called Love is Blind UK . This show was another social experiment where single men and women look for love and get engaged before meeting in person. They build a bond through talking to each other and connecting emotionally. FTB: What are your plans for the future? CG: I love my work, and my dream is to have my own show. I am also very busy seeing my family and grandchildren and preparing for my wedding next year in Japan. Both my fiancé and I are big fans of the great outdoors and enjoy walks, when Milo is not having problems with his knee, and being with nature, so we would love to buy a house in the country – so who knows? But maybe in a couple of years’ time we will fulfil our dream.
FTB What advice do you have for first time buyers? CG: It is extremely hard for anyone to save, especially with private rents being so high. My daughter is in the position where she is desperately trying to save, but paying an extortionate
rent and with the cost-of-living crisis as well, it is very difficult. She made a list of things she and her family really needed and things they could cut out and has stuck to this. She used to enjoy a manicure but now does it herself and she has cut down on takeaways and going out It’s a case of looking at your lifestyle and trying to adapt it. That, of course, doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying yourself, as everyone needs a little treat every so often. I recently lost a lot of weight by changing my lifestyle, but I did have my cheat days and ate what I wanted – it’s worked and I have lost three stone. Try not to be negative or disheartened as if you really want a home of your own it will happen, but it might just take a little longer than you had hoped for.
First Time Buyer February/March 2025 15
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