Lifelong love: Expert advice for those in long-term relationships

A long-term relationship can be difficult to navigate. We talk to experts about how to keep the channels of communication open 

Sean Bean and Nicola Walker in a scene from the BBC drama 'Marriage'.

Marriage, the BBC drama starring Sean Bean and Nicola Walker, has created a divide among those watching it. Some are enraged at its slowness, its apparent lack of plot and the mumbling dialogue interspersed in the deafening silences. Others marvel at the authenticity of this quiet portrayal of a long-term relationship and the mundanity that goes along with it.

In episode two, Sean Bean says, “27 years, eh”, to which Nicola Walker replies, “oh, don’t” with a small smile, and you feel the weight of everything they’ve been through in just five words.