Adjoa Andoh's Husband Howard Cunnell Is a Celebrated Writer – All We Know About Their Love Story

​​Adjoa Andoh and her husband, Howard Cunnell, have described their longstanding relationship as "being home." The two talented creatives—an acclaimed writer and an actor—are also parents who support the LGBTQ+ community, as one of ​​Adjoa Andoh's children is transgender.

While Andoh has enjoyed many years in the world of film, she earned international recognition for her portrayal of Lady Danbury in the hit Netflix series, "Bridgerton," set in the Regency era in England.

Andoh's character proves to be critical in the love stories of others without having her own. However, off-screen, Andoh's love life could not be more different, as she and Cunnell have celebrated many years of marriage.

Adjoa Andoh Met Her Future Husband in a Bookshop

As coincidence would have it, with over two decades of experience as a seasoned writer, Cunnell and his wife's meet-cute took place in a bookshop. It was 1994, and Andoh owned a theatre company called Wild Iris, which had an office at the Battersea Arts Centre in England.

When one of her theatre company's directors came into her office to tell Andoh a new person had taken over the downstairs bookshop and that he was "tasty," the two women rushed to get a glimpse of the mystery man. Andoh said:

"We went in, and there was Howard. He was this very smiley man behind the till in a patch of sunshine."

Little did she know, Cunnell had already seen her walking down a staircase at the arts center. "I lost my head," he said. It did not take long for them to strike up a friendship, as conversation came easy for the friends-turned-lovers.

Andoh already had a daughter from a previous relationship, and she would bring her to visit Cunnell at his bookshop. He soon won over Andoh's heart with the children's stories he told her daughter and the discounts he gave Andoh.

"That's a way to a girl's heart," she joked. "Childcare and books." Almost two years later, Cunnell had the opportunity to see Andoh perform in London, which blew him away.

Not only did they bond over their shared love for the arts, but they were soccer fans as well. And before Christmas rolled around in 1995, Cunnell asked Andoh if she wanted to try having a real relationship.

As a couple, Cunnell and Andoh enjoyed going to soccer matches together and theatre and live gigs. In 1996 and 1997, their family grew when they welcomed two children and relocated to a housing association property in Brixton. Cunnell said:

"It was a self-enclosed multiracial community with beautiful arches and a central courtyard. It was like a commune where the kids grew up freely. Every night you might have four kids in your house, or someone else would have your kids."

Although they did not have much money, it was still a "magical" time for their family. During an interview, he recalled how supportive Andoh had been following his mother's passing. And after relocating to Sussex, England, Cunnell and Andoh said being together was like "being home."

In 2021, they celebrated twenty years of marriage, following their 2001 wedding at St Saviours Church in Herne Hill. "It's a grownup love and the thing I cherish the most," Cunnell said.

Adjoa Andoh's Husband, Howard Cunnell, Is a Successful Writer

After obtaining his Ph.D. from the University of London in 2005, Cunnell was a Research Fellow at the University of Essex. In 2012, he taught a writing course for five years while working as a fiction editor. In 2018, Cunnell became a writing consultant and mentor but continued to work as an independent writer over the years.

His novels, "The Painter's Friend," "Fathers and Sons," and "The Sea on Fire," have received much praise for being "exquisitely" and "uniquely" beautiful as they drew on topics near and dear to him. In between his writing, Cunnell also trained as a scuba diving instructor and a lifeguard.

His wife's acting career was also on the rise, so she often traveled, leaving Cunnell home with the children—which he admitted loving. As a fellow artist, he also understood that sometimes their work would take precedence. He said:

"I think because we are both artists, we have this shared understanding that at some point during a project, the art would come first."

Aside from "Bridgerton"— co-starring Regé-Jean Page, Phoebe Dynevor, and Jonathan Bailey—Andoh has numerous acting credits under her belt and served as a judge for The Booker Prizes, the leading literary award for fiction in the UK.

She made her Hollywood debut in Clint Eastwood's 2009 film "Invictus," which co-starred Morgan Freeman, and has also performed in theatre. With over 30 years of experience as a radio actor on BBC, Andoh has also narrated over 150 audiobooks.

Adjoa Andoh Has Two Daughters and a Transgender Son

Andoh is a mother to her two daughters, Jess and Daisy, and her son Liam, who came out as transgender after sharing that he had been born in the wrong body.

During an interview, Andoh spoke about her experience as a mother of a transgender son and offered advice to those interacting with the transgender community. Andoh shared:

"My feeling is hold your peace until you know of what you speak. Self-harm and death among young trans people are disproportionately high."

The actress added that as a mother, she felt it was her responsibility to raise children "to do unto others." Regardless of her children's gender, Andoh only hoped for their prosperity. "I'm a mother, and I want all my children to thrive; it's a no-brainer," she said.