Dan Walker has opened up about his Christian faith and long-standing marriage to wife Sarah, offering a rare glimpse into his personal life away from the cameras.

The Channel 5 presenter, who found wider fame after his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, has shared how his belief in God has shaped his life. Walker, 48, said his religious conviction began when he was 12, despite having attended church for most of his childhood.

"As a 12-year-old, I realised that I needed help. I couldn't do things on my own," he told Sorted magazine. "There was a guy speaking in church that night about Jesus Christ and what it meant to be a Christian. That was the clincher for me."

He added: "The next day I was still probably a very annoying 12-year-old. But I think I've tried to live in the light of that ever since."

The former BBC Breakfast host has been candid about how his Christian beliefs influence both his personal and professional decisions. He does not work on Sundays, and has turned down job offers to keep the day free. "I'm very happy with that decision," he said.

Walker has been married to wife Sarah since 2001, after the pair met as students at the University of Sheffield. They now share three children - Susanna, Jessica and Joe - and live in Sheffield, having moved from London in 2017.

"My wife Sarah and I moved to Sheffield last year because it's played a big part in our lives, we both studied here and it's where I began broadcasting," he told the Daily Mail in 2018.

Despite their long marriage, Sarah has largely stayed out of the public eye. Walker previously explained in an Instagram Q&A: "She doesn't want to be on social media. Simple as that. She's much wiser than me."

Sarah made a rare appearance during Strictly when she watched from the audience as Walker dedicated a Viennese waltz to her and their children. "I'm just going to gush over her for a moment," he said on the show. "Because she's one of those people, the more you know her the more you love her. And I've known her and loved her for over half my life."

"There she is, she's absolutely amazing, she's such a special person and I love her to bits. I hope she enjoyed that because we really loved it."

Walker, who grew up in a religious household where both parents were teachers - his father later became a pastor - also credits his upbringing for shaping his values. "I learned a lot about kindness and sacrifice from my parents because they were always doing things for other people," he said.

"People would turn up from America, and they'd stay at our house for five days. Or my dad would pick people up from Gatwick Airport in the middle of the night."

He has also admitted that even after more than two decades of marriage, he still gets things wrong - particularly on Valentine's Day. Writing for iNews, he recalled: "If watching Michael Ball belting out 'Empty Chairs and Empty Tables' was the height of my Valentinian prowess, then the low point came about a decade ago when I inexplicably decided to wrap a saucepan up with an accompanying card."

He added: "'I know we don't take it really seriously,' said Mrs Walker the next morning, 'But can we never go down the kitchen route again please?' I offered no excuses. It was a poor choice."