Ruth finds love and ‘relearns how to live’ in wake of abuse from husband
ITV presenter Ruth Dodsworth says she is starting to “relearn” how to live, after her abusive husband was jailed for coercive behaviour.
For nearly 20 years, the weather presenter lived in a world where every decision was taken for her, from which outfits she wore to when she got up in the morning and who she was allowed to speak to on the phone.
Her now ex-husband Jonathanwignall frequently attended the studios and locations where she was filming, used their children to help him access phone messages and mail, and stopped her socialising with friends and family.
He even had a tracker fitted on her car so he could follow her movements.
Ruth also suffered physical and mental abuse from her husband of 18 years, who once fractured her rib.
At the peak of the abuse, her children called her and said, “Mum, don’t come home – he is going to kill you”, which she said was “a turning point”.
Wignall, 54, was sentenced to three years in jail in April for coercive and controlling behaviour and stalking. Now Ruth is determined to look for the positives, is learning to live her life again and has a burning desire to use her case to help others.
She said: “I am healing. I am having to relearn living. Practical things like wearing what I want. “That might sound so trivial to everyone else, but for so long I haven’t been able to make those decisions.
“Relearning how to have a relationship with another man has just been the loveliest thing, but I have had to relearn behaviours.
“I don’t have to hide my phone. I don’t have to say where I am every single minute of every day.
“I am taking one day at a time, and there are still triggers like hearing a name or hearing a song. I have always worn my heart on my sleeve but I’m a strong person and I will get through this.”
The 46-year-old has found love again, with a man she met while filming ITV series Coast & Country. He was a huge support to her after she feared for her life and got the police involved.
She is also deeply proud of how well her teenage son and daughter are dealing with what happened.
The phone has been beeping with messages of support, which have been “100 per cent positive”.
“There have been literally hundreds of thousands of people who have got in touch.there have been emails, tweets, handwritten messages from people of all ages, sexes, religions, who shared their stories with me because they have been in a similar situation.”