McCall and Robertson have, for a very long time, been one of the internet’s favourite couples. Since tying the knot back in 2000, they have always had one another’s backs – and McCall has always made a concerted effort to be honest about their relationship and the work that goes into maintaining it, especially in the public eye.

Now, though, the beloved TV personality has confirmed that she and Robertson are separating after 17 years of marriage.

Speaking to OK! Magazine, she said: “I am very sad to say that Matthew and I have separated.

“Our amazing children are our number one priority, above everything else so therefore we ask for as much space and respect from the media as possible while our family goes through this difficult time.”

It was the powerful and uplifting post that accompanied the news, however, that truly spoke to McCall’s fans.

“Every morning we get a chance to be different,” it read. “A chance to change. A chance to be better.

“Your past is your past. Leave it there. Get on with the future part.”

Sharing the quote with her 734,000 Instagram followers, McCall added: “I really know about this one.”

The Long Lost Family star continued: “I have made so many mistakes in my life, but there is always a new day.”

It’s an incredibly healthy attitude – and one which is recommended by relationship experts all over the world. Indeed, Sara Davison (aka ‘The Divorce Coach’) previously told stylist.co.uk that we all need to make a point of conducting a thorough Break-Up Debrief after every relationship ends. Which means, essentially, that we need to “take a long, hard look at what really happened and be honest about [our] part in the breakdown, as well as [our] own failings”.

“‘If you keep on doing what you have always done, you are going to get the same results’ is an age-old saying with so much truth behind it,” explains Davison, going on to explain that there is a lesson to be learned in every break-up – one which will usually “help you limit the chances of getting heartbroken again, and is a vital relationship procedure”.

“You may discover you chose the wrong partner because your values in life were totally incompatible,” she says. “You may find out that your behaviour was much more of an issue than you ever realised. You may discover that you missed the warning signs, even though they were there, loud and clear.

“Even if it wasn’t your fault that the relationship ended, take a step back and use this exercise as a chance to see why you were not compatible, what the warning signs may have been and what you could have done differently. It’s important to be honest with yourself and even brutal at times, as it’s all too easy to blame our ex for all the problems. But remember: it does take two to tango.”

Of course, McCall has always been quick to recognise herself as a “work in progress” – or someone that is constantly adapting and evolving to keep up with the events unfolding all around her. Indeed, the presenter actually penned a book titled Lessons I’ve Learned (with the strapline ‘I’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to’) in September 2016, in which she opened up about everything from her past battles with heroin and the death of her beloved sister, Caroline, to coping with her children’s infuriating habits.

Speaking to the Mail Online about the book, McCall said: “I really believe that I am a work in progress, I feel as though I am learning every day. I learn from every situation, every person I meet.

“Sometimes I am unwilling at the time to see it… maybe the lesson hurt or embarrassed me and it’s only with hindsight I can feel how much it taught me. At other times I am desperate to learn – I may be stuck in some emotional rut or a parenting quandary or a self-esteem collapse and turn to others for help.”

Images: Rex Features