Actress Joanna Page, known for her role in "Gavin and Stacey," recently shared an account of a significant argument with her husband, James Thornton, regarding childcare responsibilities and household chores during a family holiday in Spain. The incident, recounted on her podcast "Lush," highlighted Page's feelings of carrying the burden of family preparation.
Page, 49, who has been married to Thornton for 23 years and with whom she has four children—Eva, 13, Kitt, 11, Noah, nine, and Boe, four—described the scene of packing multiple beach bags while simultaneously managing the children's needs. She explained that after getting the older children ready for the pool and realizing they could dress themselves, she then had to assist their youngest child, Boe, with teeth cleaning and sun cream application.
"After doing that, saying to you, 'can you just go and get her teeth cleaned?'" Page recounted on the podcast, detailing her request to Thornton. "She starts crying. I'm like 'for goodness sake', have I got to do everything? Have I got to take over doing this now?"
Page further described entering the bathroom to clean Boe's teeth, then returning to finish packing the bags, only to find her husband and children waiting. She characterized Thornton as leaning against a desk, appearing passive while she completed the task of preparing three beach bags before the family could head downstairs.
When Page questioned why they couldn't pack the bags together, Thornton reportedly responded, "You always do them." Page countered, "I always do them because you don't do them. You don't help." Thornton’s defense was that he does things like getting up early to place towels on sunbeds.
Fans commenting on the podcast episode noted Thornton's apparent lack of recollection regarding the specific argument, contrasting it with Page's detailed account. Some expressed sympathy for Thornton, suggesting that Page might criticize him if he packed the bags incorrectly or forgot items.
Page has previously spoken about the complexities of her long-term marriage. She has admitted to having "massive arguments" with Thornton, attributing some clashes to their differing temperaments: her "manic, impulsive and fiery" nature versus his "Northern, measured" approach. She has also revealed periods where they slept in separate beds, including a four-year stretch.
Despite these challenges, Page has also shared insights into how they maintain intimacy, noting that they prioritize stolen moments for "wild sex" during mornings when the children are at school or nursery. She emphasized that while they have evolved over their 26 years together, their core goals and parenting morals have remained aligned, which she believes is crucial for a lasting relationship. Page advised that marriage requires continuous effort, kindness, and a good sense of humor, discouraging couples from giving up at the first sign of difficulty.