Most people know Paul Merton as the quick-witted, beaming presence on Have I Got News For You, effortlessly delivering jokes and keeping audiences entertained.
But behind the humor, Paul has faced profound personal losses, including the death of his second wife and a serious mental health struggle.
Now, as he prepares to tour with his comic partner Suki Webster, he opens up about how love found him again just six months after tragedy struck.
Early Marriages and Devastating Loss
Paul’s first marriage was to actress Caroline Quentin. The couple separated in 1997 after seven years together.
Three years later, he married Sarah Parkinson, an actress who had once been Caroline’s understudy on Arthur Smith’s Live Bed Show.
Tragically, Sarah had been diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer prior to their wedding and passed away in Paul’s arms in September 2003, just three months after they married at the age of 41.
Eight months after Sarah’s death, Paul was spotted holding hands with Suki Webster, then performing at the Comedy Store in the West End.
How Love Sparked with Suki
Reflecting on the start of their relationship, Paul admits it “felt natural” and even jokes that it began with brandy, cola, and a little Imodium.
During a Comedy Store Players tour in India, both were struck by a stomach bug and spent time in a hotel bar, nursing their drinks and sharing conversation.
Paul recalls, “There was a magician in the bar who wasn’t very good, but there was magic in the air.
We just clicked. I don’t think it’s one of those things you decide—it just happens. We were in India, on brandy, with a magician in the dark.
You just think, this is great fun. It felt natural. It felt OK.”
Suki adds simply, “When you fall in love, you fall in love.”
Comedy as a Lifeline
Paul has often spoken about how comedy helped him navigate grief after Sarah’s death. In a 2019 interview, he said, “She died on a Monday.
Six days later I went down to The Comedy Store to watch the Sunday show, just to be in a room where 300 people were laughing. It takes you somewhere else.”
A week later, he returned to the stage himself, mindful of timing.
“I would have done a gig earlier after Sarah died, but I didn’t want it to be misinterpreted.
When you’re improvising and in the moment, it’s refreshing for you as well as for the audience.
There’s joy in creating that laughter, and in my more romantic moments, there’s no higher calling.”
From Breakdowns to Breakthroughs
Born Paul Martin, he changed his surname to Merton for Equity reasons.
His big break came in 1988 with Channel 4’s improvisational show Whose Line Is It Anyway? But success came with its own challenges.
Paul endured a mental breakdown fueled by overwork, the postponement of a TV series, and anti-malaria medication, leading to a six-week stay at Maudsley psychiatric hospital.
Recalling his time there, he said, “Every morning after breakfast we had group therapy.
There were people facing terrible situations. My thing was that somebody had canceled a television series.
I never said it aloud—I still had a sense of proportion and humor about it.”
After recovery, he was offered new shows and, despite initially turning down Have I Got News For You because he didn’t do political or topical jokes, he has become a cornerstone of the program for 25 years.
Finding Balance Between Humor and Life
Through heartbreak, mental health struggles, and career pressures, Paul Merton has shown resilience.
Now, with Suki Webster by his side, he embraces life and love again, proving that even behind the brightest smiles, there’s a human story of loss, healing, and new beginnings.
