Russell T Davies Finds Love After Tragedy

Russell T Davies has opened up for the first time about his romance with model and waiter Oliver Cole - admitting he never believed he would find love again after being widowed.

The former head writer, 63, tragically lost his husband Andrew Smith to a brain tumour in 2018 and had assumed his days of romance were behind him.

But speaking candidly this week about his relationship with Oliver, 28, Russell admitted he feels fortunate to have found love again.

'He's beautiful, isn't he? I'm very lucky,' Russell told the Reasons To Be Joyful with Gaby Roslin podcast. 'It's a year now – it's been a year since we started saying hello. Amazing. I'm very, very lucky.'

He added: 'I was widowed eight years ago, and you kind of think well that's it - genuinely. And at 63 you do think that's it, fine, I've had a lovely time. So for this to happen, it's a great surprise and very lovely.'

The screenwriter was with Andrew for two decades, and the pair entered a civil partnership in December 2012, walking down the aisle to Mr Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra.

Customs officer Andrew was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2011 and given just a three per cent chance of recovery. He died in September 2018, aged 54.

Russell took two and a half years away from work to care for his husband, later describing it as 'the greatest work I'll ever do on this Earth.'

He made his relationship with Australian model Oliver public on Christmas Day last year, sharing a cosy selfie from his kitchen captioned: 'Merry Christmas! From me & Oliver.'

For Oliver's 27th birthday last June, Russell brought him to the Doctor Who set and treated him to a spin in the iconic Tardis.

Oliver filmed a clip inside the time machine, captioning it on social media: '27 – Another Year Passes. But it's alright I have a TARDIS x.'

A close friend of the couple previously told The Daily Mail: 'Oliver has brought a great deal of joy into Russell's life and they make each other genuinely happy.

'Despite the age gap, they're very much on the same wavelength – this relationship feels like one for the long haul.'

Also on the podcast, Gaby recalled a night out with Russell when he was mobbed by adoring actors all desperate to work with him: 'We were standing there and I saw all these actors gravitating towards you and you were saying, just protect me, protect me. They were all coming up going, what's next? Russell, Russell, what's next?'

Russell laughed: 'My boyfriend is like, aren't they just nice and friendly? I'm like, yeah.'