Who is Michelle Ackerley's husband Ben Ryan and how long has she been married to the sports coach and former rugby player?
MICHELLE Ackerley is expecting her first baby with her husband, rugby coach Ben Ryan, just a year after they tied the knot.
She
4
Michelle Ackerley had been with Ben Ryan for many years
Credit: Instagram / Michelle Ackerley
4
It will be the first child for Michelle and her husband
Credit: Instagram / Michelle Ackerley
Who is Michelle Ackerley's husband, Ben Ryan?
He was in charge of the team from 2013 to 2016, during which time they claimed their first Dubai 7s title and set a new benchmark with nine tournament wins under his leadership.
Before coaching Fiji, Ben had a spell in charge of the England Sevens team.
The 53-year-old is now the Performance Director at Premier League football club Brentford.
Read more Rugby Union news
Born on September 11, 1971, he graduated from Loughborough University with a BSc in Sports Science, before going on to earn an MPhil in Education from Cambridge University.
While at Cambridge, Ben then played scrum-half for the Varsity Match-winning teams in 1995 and 1996, earning two Blues, and also captained the Light Blues' Sevens side.
He ended up playing club rugby with Nottingham and West Hartlepool.
However, he began coaching the England Sevens team in 2007, leading them through 67 international tournaments and 378 games, making him the longest-serving coach in the role.
Most read in Rugby Union
Under his leadership, England reached the semi-finals or better 28 times in the HSBC World Series and made the final of the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, their first in 20 years.
He also coached at the 2009 World Cup, 2010 Commonwealth Games, and won the 2011 Junior Commonwealth Games.
Inside Morning Live's Michelle Ackerley's rise to fame - and her TV presenter mum who helped catapult her into a household name
Ben led England to multiple successes before stepping down in August 2013, when he was replaced by Simon Amor.
In September 2013, he became coach of the Fiji Sevens team and quickly made history, leading them to their first-ever Dubai 7s win in just his second tournament.
Despite financial struggles within the Fijian Rugby Union, Ryan went unpaid for several months.
Under his leadership, Fiji won nine World Sevens Series titles across three seasons, claiming the overall 2014–15 title.
In 2016, he guided Fiji to Olympic gold in Rio, the nation's first Olympic medal.
Ryan stepped down later that year and was honoured with the Fijian name, Ratu Peni Rayani Latianara, and gifted land in Serua as a mark of gratitude.
4
Ben has been given various accolades in Fiji thanks to his Olympic win
Credit: Getty Images
He received the country's highest honour when he was made a Companion of the Order of Fiji.
He was also featured on the back of a circulating 50 cent coin and on the front of a special $7 commemorative banknote.
A year later, the Englishman joined the Welsh Rugby Union as a consultant, after being
Ben lives in South West London with his wife and is a proud Brentford supporter.
How long has Michelle Ackerley been married to Ben Ryan?
In May 2024,
Ben had previously been married to Natalie Peck, with their wedding taking place in July 2009.
The couple separated in September 2016 and officially divorced on 2 August 2017.
They didn't have any children together.
4
She shared a snap of the baby scan
Credit: Instagram / Michelle Ackerley
Then, on May 6, 2025, Michelle announced on BBC's Morning Live that she's four months pregnant.
Speaking on the show, Michelle said: "I still can't quite believe it myself really."
Appearing alongside her co-host
She said: "He has been so chilled.
"The thing is, I'm not really sleeping well at the moment so I've been waking up in the middle of the night at 3am and I've been taking it upon myself to wake Ben up and say this is what we are going to have to get used to!"
Michelle went on to discuss her pregnancy in a lengthy Instagram post in which she also addressed her fertility woes.
The TV presenter said: "I can't believe it's nearly been a year since getting married and I honestly didn't think 12months on that I'd be writing a post sharing that I'm pregnant….
"I wanted to share though as my journey with endometriosis and infertility is something I finally felt confident to start speaking about more openly last year - realising how many other women were going through similar experiences.
"Even at the very start of this year I was gearing up for yet another endo procedure and trying to come to terms with the mental & physical impact they can have.
"It has been quite the emotional rollercoaster.
"The news of falling pregnant really came as a massive surprise to both of us. We still can't quite believe it.
"And so in October, the start of a new chapter begins for @benryan7s and I, albeit with nervous and cautious excitement."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Nathan Collins reveals embarrassing loss that ‘affected a lot of people' gave Ireland star ‘new hunger' for World Cup
NATHAN COLLINS believes Ireland's winter of discontent can make for a glorious summer and beyond. Captain qualifiers . Advertisement 2 Ireland were hammered 5-0 by England Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 2 Nathan Collins believed it has stood to them Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Confidence is rising among the squad that they can go all the way in the qualifiers after wins home and away over Bulgaria and But winter . And that agony came after The defender said: 'That one hurt and affected a lot of people. Advertisement Read More on Ireland MNT 'It was nice to have a little break away from people, reset and go again. 'If we had a good result there and there was a long wait, we would have to wait. The hurt in the dressing room after . . . it was not a nice place to be in. 'It created a new hunger for me. It definitely resetted me to want to do better and improve for the next camp. It might work in a good way for us.' That Advertisement Most read in Football Live Blog And that continued a grim few years at international level with plenty of disappointing results. One of those included an 'Don't say that on camera' - Nathan Collins' admission about Caoimhin Kelleher's move leaves Heimir in stitches Not that Collins — who was called up to the Ireland squad subsequently — looks too far into the past. He said: 'Football, people, managers and teams change. You just have to reflect on that. Advertisement 'It is about what works for us and we can't have that on our mind. 'We are here with fresh faces. It is a fresh and new game.' GOING WELL Ireland face Luxembourg with a different mindset and are full of confidence after two wins and a draw to date since that Wembley woe. And Collins believes everything is going well ahead of the World Cup campaign which starts against Aviva Stadium on September 6. Advertisement He said: 'I feel the performance against Senegal was a really big step. 'We were so comfortable in the game and in our shape. 'We performed to a very high degree and it is about pushing on, growing that and getting better. 'I just think there's a bit more of a base now in the team. There's a bit of solidity in it. Advertisement 'It was a bit all up in the air last summer , wasn't it? Everything regarding Ireland was at the time. 'But the way the squad is, the way we have our manager here, everything is solidified now. 'We're building our base, growing and we're working from that. We're trying to create momentum for us to get better. We have time to practice together again and keep creating stuff. 'If the qualifiers were today, I would be comfortable enough. Advertisement 'We know the basics of what the manager wants but also know that he wants more from us. 'But it's not today and we can do more to get better and prepare.' ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT And the former Wolves man acknowledged there are still areas where Icelander Hallgrimsson wants to see improvements from his troops. One area in particular is seeing games out, as Ireland have kept just one clean sheet in Hallgrimsson's nine games in charge to date. Advertisement Collins added: 'We could have defended better and we could have been more proactive with the chances we conceded against Senegal. 'If we want to get to the next stage we have to see games like that out. 'I think we are definitely good enough. We're good enough to go score another goal but also not concede or give them chances. 'They are the little things where we can grow. Advertisement 'There are loads of individual things as defensive and attacking units where we can grow together. 'Taking away from the last game, we've got to take our chances, see a game out, be solid — winning games like that will be massive come the World Cup.' Ireland's group is a tricky one with Hungary, Armenia and top seeds But Collins said that Ireland must make sure they are confident going into the campaign. Advertisement He said: 'We didn't need to see Sunday night to know how good 'But if we can do what we can control and the manager wants from us we will create our own problems against Portugal. 'We're a completely different team to Spain and will create different problems and defend in a different way. 'We'll frustrate them in ways they won't like. We know the standard and how good they'll be. Advertisement 'But they have to know how tough a game it will be for them against us.'
The Irish Sun
7 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Katie Price reveals daughter Princess, 17, approves her raunchy OnlyFans photos before she uploads them
KATIE Price, 47, has revealed she likes to show her raunchy OnlyFans photos to her daughter Princess, 17, before she uploads them. The 3 Katie Price says she gets her daughter Princess, 17, to review her racy OnlyFans pics before she uploads them Credit: Paul Jacobs/ 3 Katie and Princess are very close Credit: Instagram Earlier this year, Katie revealed exclusively to The Sun that she can earn 'around £50,000 on a good month'. However, until February 2027, the taxman will take 40% of this as part of her first bankruptcy order. Speaking about her raunchy account on She told the Canadian comedian: "I show Princess and she's like, 'mum, that's so good, that picture'. This and that. Read more in Celebrity "This is what's funny about Princess. This is probably why we get on.' She went on: "She does her days where she goes out and does her pictures for her Instagram and she's like, mum, can you get eight outfits for me? I said, what, your clothes? "No, your clothes. I went, why do you want to use my clothes? Because your style, you do it better. So, she uses my clothes for her Instagram pictures." Katie recently revealed that she had been encouraging Princess to sign up for Love Island. Most read in Celebrity Speaking on the latest episode of her podcast Revealing her response, Katie continued: ''No… because otherwise I'll be known as a Love Islander'. I said, 'No you won't, everyone knows you anyway'.' An told The Sun how Princess and her ex - who never revealed his identity during the romance - split on good terms. A source said: "She always kept the romance out of the public eye and it will be the same with her split. "They just grew apart - they were each other's first love so it has been tough but there are no hard feelings. "He's still on good terms with both Katie and Peter. "Princess is really concentrating on her career right now and there's no place for a man.' Princess' ex has unfollowed her on social media but does still follow all of her family members. It's been a week of highs and lows for Princess, who revealed she'd passed her driving test and showed off her £10,000 car. She proudly declared in the caption: 'I bought my first car' but was hit with criticism by fans, who believe it was actually mum and dad Katie and Peter Andre who actually forked out the cash for it. But Princess has now put that speculation to bed, "To everyone out there, yes I work and yes I earn my own money which I'm super proud of and so thankful that I'm lucky enough to buy my own car xx." 3 Glamorous Princess recently purchased her own car Credit: Instagram
Irish Independent
7 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Nathan Collins believes Wembley hammering may prove to be an important crossroads for Ireland side
Nathan Collins believes the pain of last November's nightmare in Wembley has created the hunger that can power Ireland's World Cup campaign.
