Richard Madeley has advised couples living together during lockdown to “try and give each other space” and read a book when tensions flare up.

Madeley, 63, and wife Judy Finnigan, 71, have appeared together on TV for more than 30 years, and are self-isolating at their home in north London.

They will host a new book programme on Channel 4 from lockdown, called Richard & Judy: Keep Reading And Carry On.

Judy Finnigan interview
Judy Finnigan has been married to Richard Madeley for over 30 years (Yui Mok/PA)

Madeley told the PA news agency: “In all marriages, things can occasionally get tense, and you can get a bit snappy with each other, especially if you are together 24/7.

“The only tip I’d give is to step away, go to another room, read a book, go for a walk.

“Try and give each other space, because everybody’s going to be a bit on edge at the moment, and you’ve got to try and be understanding of that and accepting of that.

“Give each other a bit of room, if you can. That’s the best thing I think.”

Finnigan said they had found self-isolating together easy, after spending much of their lives “in each other’s pockets”.

Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2016 – London
Richard Madeley has formed a long-time TV partnership with his wife (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

She added: “We’ve worked together all our lives – well, not all our lives, but since we met – and on the same programmes.

“And the only difference in our lives now is our children are grown up and have gone. We’re totally used to being together all the time.

“It must be very strange for couples who have totally different jobs and never normally see each other during the day.

“It must be very hard for them to both work at home but, for us, it’s completely normal.”

Richard & Judy: Keep Reading And Carry On starts on Channel 4 on Monday, May 4