TO the outside world, Cheryl and David Hickman have a fairytale romance.
The couple first met as children but lost touch before reconnecting 22 years later as adults. They quickly fell for each other and a lavish wedding followed. While it might sound like a tale worthy of a Richard Curtis film plot, the pair’s love story has raised eyebrows for a very dark reason…
Cheryl and David Hickman got married and were desperate for a baby of their ownCredit: HotSpot Media
The couple, pictured on their wedding day, ignored online trolls who say their relationship is wrongCredit: HotSpot Media
Cheryl and David are first cousins.
Now, in an exclusive chat with the Sun, Cheryl has revealed she is “desperate” to have a child with David, following updated NHS guidance around cousin marriage.
“I would advise cousins in relationships to go for it. At the end of the day, every single pregnancy has risks. No one can ever guarantee a baby will be born healthy,” she said.
Her controversial comments come as the NHS issued a new training document suggesting there may be . The document claims ‘the associated genetic risks have been exaggerated’, noting ‘85-90 per cent of cousin couples do not have affected children’.
The report, however, has been controversial, triggering a swift backlash from experts and politicians. They argue that the NHS prioritised ‘cultural sensitivity’ over child safety and failed to properly acknowledge that babies of first cousins face a higher risk of genetic conditions compared to the general population.
The NHS has since removed the documents.
‘Trolls say we should be on Jeremy Kyle’
But sadly for Cheryl, she’s unable to have children.
The transport passenger assistant, 53, from Welwyn Garden City, has suffered ten miscarriages – but insists that if she could, she would have a baby with her cousin, also 53.
Cheryl told The Sun: “While once being dubious of cousins having children together, because of the health risks, hearing the report claiming the risk of defects may be low has changed my mind completely.
“There must be so many other factors.”
The document also stated ‘close relative marriage is often stigmatised in England’ something Cheryl and David know too well.
“A relative of ours still uses the fact that we’re cousins in arguments and often claims ‘it’s wrong’ and that she doesn’t agree with our union. It’s sad, as we’re not harming anyone,” she said.
The husband and wife are first cousins as their fathers are brothers.
After 16 years together, the couple are still madly in love and don’t care what society thinks of their unorthodox relationship.
We ended up kissing. I knew we were cousins, but my feelings took over. It didn’t feel wrong, it felt right
Cheryl Hickman
Growing up, Cheryl and David’s families were close, visiting each other once a month in Wandsworth, South London.
“While our parents nattered, David and I would play together. David loved to follow me around the house and yank my ponytail.
“Even though we were the same age, I always referred to him as my annoying little cousin,” Cheryl said.
But when they were 14, David’s family moved away from the area.
Years later, in 1994, Cheryl, then 22, discovered she was infertile, yet continued to try for a baby.
In 2001, Cheryl and her then partner adopted a newborn girl, Caitlin, now 24. The following year, Cheryl got married but they divorced six years later.
Then, in 2009, Cheryl received a message from David on Facebook out of the blue.
The couple have a daughter, Caitlin, whom Cheryl adopted during her first marriageCredit: HotSpot Media
She says: “I hadn’t heard from him in 22 years. I discovered he was divorced and had step children. I told him all about Caitlin and my past marriage.”
After that, the pair spoke every day.
The next month, Cheryl invited David to Caitlin’s 8th birthday party in London.
She says: “As he walked in, I thought he looked really handsome. Suddenly, I realised I found my cousin attractive. I tried to shake it off, but I couldn’t help the way I felt.
“I told David he looked fantastic and he said it was so nice to see me.
“After the party, David pulled me aside and told me he had feelings for me. I was so excited, I admitted I fancied him too.
“We ended up kissing. I knew we were cousins, but my feelings took over. It didn’t feel wrong, it felt right.”
But the next day, Cheryl began to worry. She says: “David and I were related by blood, so I stressed that I’d get into trouble.
“I quickly did some research online and discovered first-cousin marriages were legal in Britain. It wasn’t classed as incest. I was so relieved. After that, David and I decided to give our relationship a go.”
Soon, David became a doting stepdad to Caitlin.
At first, afraid of their family’s reaction, Cheryl and David kept their relationship a secret. But two months later, they came clean.
It concerns me about the talk of banning these types of marriages in Britain.
Cheryl Hickman
Cheryl says: “As David no longer spoke to his family, he didn’t need to tell them. So I confessed to mine. I told my parents that David and I had fallen in love.
“My mum told me to stop being ridiculous, while my dad was furious and said we needed to break up as it was against the law.
“I quickly showed him a website that confirmed first cousin relationships were legal. Then, he calmed down.
“After that, they still weren’t happy, but I understood they needed time to get used to the idea.”
How many people in the UK are married to their cousin and what does the law say?
Here's who you can and can't marry in the UK...
Marriage between first cousins is currently legal in the UK.
Around 1-3 per cent of people in the UK are married to their first cousins, but the percentage is significantly higher in some British South Asian communities.
According to one 2021 study, around 55 per cent of British Pakistanis are married to their first cousin, commonly through “arranged marriages”.
Globally, it’s believed around 10 per cent of marriages are between cousins.
In Europe, first-cousin marriages were quite common until the 19th Century.
Charles Darwin married his first cousin Emma Wedgewood in 1839 and Queen Victoria married her first cousin Prince Albert in 1840.
It was practice more common with societal elites and aristocrats, so, when social mobility became easier, it began to die out.
Under the Marriage Act 1949, British law forbids marriage between very other close family members.
This includes parents, children, brothers and sisters, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
The rules apply to both blood relatives and step-relatives (with some exceptions if you are over 18 and the younger party isn’t a child of the family).
Adopted children are banned from marrying their adoptive parents but are allowed to wed other adoptive family members like siblings.
Six months later, their family finally accepted the union. But soon, internet trolls began leaving cruel comments on Cheryl and David’s Facebook.
Cheryl says: “They called our relationship incestuous. Others said that we belonged on the Jeremy Kyle show. I was furious.
“Thankfully, when we told our friends about us, they were supportive. They were shocked at first, then it wasn’t mentioned again.”
Over the next years, the couple tried for a baby. But after multiple miscarriages, they accepted it wasn’t going to happen for them.
Cheryl explains: “My mum knew we were trying at the time and she was against it.
“She was so worried we’d have a baby with health defects. It did put a doubt in our minds, but it didn’t put us off. In the end it wasn’t meant to be for us.”
Cheryl, on the potential outlawing of consanguineous (related) marriages in Britain, says: “It concerns me about the talk of banning these types of marriages in Britain.
“Of course, I am totally against forced marriages and understand the need to outlaw those. But for me and David, we’re two consenting adults who are in love. We just happen to be first cousins. What’s wrong with that?”
The pair faced judgement but ultimately friends accepted their relationshipCredit: HotSpot Media
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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