Who is Linda Robson’s estranged husband Mark Dunford? A look at the window cleaner company owner as he splits from Loose Women star after 33 years of marriage

Linda Robson officially confirmed her divorce from Mark Dunford this week after 33 years of marriage.

The Loose Women star, 65, shared the news in Woman magazine this week, admitting ‘enough is enough’.

The ex-couple share children Louis, 31, and Roberta, 27, and have fallen on hard times in recent years, leaving them on the brink of divorce as early as 2017.

While they overcame their past hurdles, the latest marital problems proved too much and they ended it.

Now MailOnline reveals what you need to know about Mark Dunford.

Tough: The ex-couple share children Louis, 31, and Roberta, 27, and have faced tough times in recent years (pictured at their 1990 wedding to Pauline Quirke, right)

What does Mark Dunford, Linda Robson’s estranged husband, do for a living?

Mark has worked as a window cleaner for much of his life and now has his own business.

How did Linda Robson and Mark Dunford meet?

As young people, Linda and Mark lived close to each other in Islington – where Linda lived all her life – and their parents were friends.

Speaking on Loose Women in 2017, Linda revealed that she used to babysit Mark when they were children as they had known each other from a very young age.

Discussing the role of fate in her life, the Bird Of A Feather star explained that he was just a child at the time and therefore there was no chemistry yet.

“I used to babysit Mark, he was a few years younger than me,” she remembers.

‘He was only two and a half years younger than me! I was 16 and he was 13 and a half, and he was a bit annoying, to be honest. And we lived next to each other on the street.’

The star firmly believed it was fate that brought Mark to her – after she and her three-year-old bumped into him while walking in a local park years later.

During the unexpected meeting, Linda revealed that her daughter asked Mark if he could give them a ride home.

“And then he gave us a ride home and asked me out. So that was fate that day because I had known him all my life and I had never seen him like that before,” she added.

Afterwards, Mark asked Linda out, but she revealed that she wasn’t sure if that was a good date or not, and the duo went to a local Italian restaurant.

How they met: Linda and Mark together in Islington – where Linda has lived all her life – and Linda looked after him (photo in 2015)

Why did Linda Robson and Mark Dunford split?

Linda and Mark – who married in 1990 – live together in London, but it was recently claimed they were having relationship problems.

She confirmed the split this week, telling Woman magazine: ‘He’s a very good father and we’ve had some good years, but enough is enough.

‘I have my family and my children around me. And I’m going on a cruise with Lesley Joseph in November. I stay busy. I feel fine. I just always travel.

“Honestly, I’m not interested in dating. I can’t be angry about all that.’

The TV personality previously revealed that their problems started when children Lauren and Louis were each subjected to traumatic events, which deeply tested their marriage.

Things became challenging when Lauren was diagnosed with bulimia and Louis with PTSD after witnessing his friend’s murder.

“People always said Lauren looked like Kate Moss,” she said, first about her daughter’s ordeal. ‘We went to the station and they took lots of pictures, but someone said to her, “You need to lose a little weight.”

‘I replied, “No, she doesn’t” and we walked out. It was ridiculous.’

After this incident, Linda noticed that Lauren lost weight, became dramatically thin, and yet ate normally before her eyes.

She deduced that it was related to bulimia, vomiting the food she had eaten, and took her to get help.

Lauren beat the condition after two years, when she was 19; but more sadness followed in 2008 when Ben Kinsella was stabbed to death.

Ben was a friend of Linda’s son Louis and was murdered at the age of 16 when he was stabbed eleven times while celebrating the end of their high school graduation.

Louis watched Ben die on the street, which led to PTSD and frequent severe panic attacks.

‘Louis is doing very well now. He is constantly working on music and writing,” Linda said of her eldest son, who came out on the other side 10 years later.

Linda’s marriage was also tested when she lost her father to lung cancer in 1997.

He was still a young man (57) and died a week after diagnosis.

Her mother died in 2012, also from cancer, this time stomach cancer, at the age of 75, which Linda admits was traumatic, but she died peacefully and pain-free.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: ‘Linda has been very open behind the scenes about problems in her marriage.

‘They had a tough time before Christmas, but they managed to get through it.

“Linda turned to her family and close friends who supported her through it all.”

Although Linda denied she was in the middle of a ‘marriage crisis’, she admitted things were not smooth sailing with her long-term love.

When The Sun asked about the crisis, she said: ‘That’s a load of nonsense.

‘We still live together. We both love our children more than anything in the world, obviously in every marriage you have a few hiccups.

“We’ve been married for 33 years, so it won’t all be plain sailing, but we’re still together at this point.”

The actress recently spoke about going through ‘ups and downs’ in her relationship.

She told Best magazine: ‘There have been ups and downs of course, as with any couple. What I think we have in common is that we love our children more than anything.

In June, the mum-of-three admitted she hadn’t had sex with Mark on Loose Women for two years panel discussed whether taking a ‘sex break’ can help resolve problems in relationships.

Last year, Linda revealed that she has never undressed in front of her husband and goes to the bathroom to put on her pajamas.

The TV presenter discussed her private life in an October 2022 episode of Loose Women and admitted that her Catholic upbringing influenced her views on nudity.

Linda said: ‘I find it quite difficult, I have never been underdressed in front of my husband, so when I put on my pajamas I go to the bathroom.

‘My children have seen me undressed, but not my husband or former partners because my mother was Irish Catholic.’

Family: Linda and Mark share children Louis, 31, and Roberta, 27 (photo: Linda with her daughters in 2011)

Why did Linda Robson divorce Tony Tyler?

Before marrying Mark, Linda dated Tony Tyler for eleven years.

Linda met Tony when she was 17 and they had Lauren when she was 25, but their relationship was plagued with problems.

She told the Loose Women audience in 2017: ‘I caught my ex cheating several times – even when I was pregnant with Lauren.

“One time I was out and Lauren was out with me. When I returned, everything seemed fine in the flat. But when I went to bed that night, I moved the pillow and there was a tissue with lipstick on it and long blonde hair.”

Linda said: ‘I remember saying to my ex, “What is this?”, and he said, “One of my friends stayed and her partner, it must be hers.” But do you know when you’ll know?’

She explained how she did her own detective work, determined to find out what was going on.

Linda said: ‘When I found out it was a relief because you know it’s over, you’re not going crazy.’

The star continued: “I had found letters, I followed him. I caught him with someone while I was also pregnant with Lauren. I was waiting outside the house and he went into this girl’s house.”

Struggle: Before marrying Mark, Linda dated Tony Tyler for eleven years and they welcomed daughter Lauren in 1983, but he cheated on her multiple times