Love on the job: How we keep the romance alive when working together every day

Jonathan deBurca Butler talks to couples Alan Hughes and Karl Broderick; GastroGays, Patrick Hanlon and Russell Alford and Gogglebox's Des and Laura Grufferty about how they met and how they keep the romance alive when they work together every day

Some of the couples who've balanced business with pleasure: Des & Laura Grufferty; Alan Hughes & Brian McEvoy; The Gastrogays

If you were stuck for the opening scene to a new romantic movie, then Alan Hughes and Karl Broderick’s run in with Cupid will surely offer some inspiration. The couple met one fateful day in Dublin when every star in the known, and unknown, universe were well and truly aligned.

“I was walking down O’Connell Street,” says the Ireland AM presenter, “and Karl dropped his keys. I picked them up and the rest is history. Simple as that.” “It’s slightly more elaborate than that,” recalls Karl. “After he handed me the keys, the heavens opened and we both ended up going into Burger King for shelter. I was twenty-one at the time and remember getting my cup of tea and sitting down to read Smash Hits. Alan had the same idea. He was sitting at another table and as we saw each other there was this acknowledgement.” It all could have ended with that last slug of strongly brewed tea but fate was not yet finished with this story and as the rain gave way to clearer skies, the couple found themselves standing at the same bus stop.