Anna Richardson and Sue Perkins ‘living apart since last AUTUMN and are sharing custody of dog’

Anna Richardson and Sue Perkins have been living apart since last Autumn and only see each other when exchanging custody of their beloved dog.

MailOnline can reveal Naked Attraction host Anna, 50, moved out of their shared £2million North London home to live in Staffordshire to be close to her mum, who is caring for her father who is suffering from dementia.

Friends close to the couple, who dated for eight years, say they struggled to live together during lockdown given they are both ‘workaholics’ who are used to their independence.

They also have differing views on starting a family, which drove a wedge between them.

A pal said: ‘It’s really sad they’ve split, but it’s been on the cards for a while

‘They haven’t spent much together in recent months, they’ve been living separate lives with Anna staying in Staffordshire and Sue remaining in London.

‘The only time they see each other now is when they hand the dog over to each other.

Beloved: Anna and Sue adopted former rescue dog Tia in 2017 from Animal Lifeline’s Serendipity Kennels near Cellarhead, Staffs

‘We know Anna was really keen to be a mother, but Sue just didn’t feel it was the right time for her.

‘She loves travelling and working on various projects and she appreciates that lifestyle and the responsibility of being a parent doesn’t marry well.’

Anna and Sue adopted former rescue dog Tia in 2017 from Animal Lifeline’s Serendipity Kennels near Cellarhead, Staffs, and quickly settled into life in their home.

Sue, 52, is the registered owner of North London property, which has been described by pals as a ‘show home’ given its immaculate appearance, inside and out. 

Anna, who is passionate about interior design and just landed a hosting gig for the Changing Rooms reboot, has overseen the major renovation believing the house was an ideal place to raise a family.

But Sue is less keen about the property, particularly its remote location, which caused her to feel isolated during lockdown.

Family: Sue and Ann are pictured in Primrose Hill in September 2017

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Sue Perkins and Anna Richardson for comment.

The pair’s split was revealed on Monday and neither Anna or Sue has publicly commented since.

MailOnline revealed on Wednesday that ‘nobody else was involved’ and they are ‘determined to remain friends’.

Fans speculated their relationship was in trouble after Anna failed to mention former Bake Off host Sue on social media nine months before the break-up was confirmed. 

Sue’s final appearance on Anna’s Instagram page came in September last year in a video clip, which she filmed, celebrating the ex-Big Breakfast host’s 50th birthday alongside other family members.

Anna told her 41,000 followers: ‘Hello everybody. I’m here with family. That’s Sue Perkins behind the camera and it’s my 50th birthday.’

Sweet: Tia quickly settled into life in their home [pictured with Anna and Pete Wicks]

While cutting into her birthday cake, Anna was quick to ask Sue’s thoughts on the offering, given her Bake Off connections, joking: ‘What do you think, Sue?’

Her partner replied: ‘Lovely crumbs, soggy bottom.’

The pair first began dating in 2013 after meeting at a Halloween party following Anna’s split from her partner of 18 years Charles Martin.

Anna previously spoke about her relationship with Sue in an interview with Hello!, saying she had thought about adopting a child and said that as she is getting older she also feels that ‘time is running out’ for her to do so.

Admitting she was only talking about herself, Anna said: ‘For some time I’ve toyed with the idea of fostering or adopting a child. I can only speak for myself, not Sue, but I really want to do the training [to foster] and welcome a child into my life.

‘I feel keenly that I’m getting older, that time is running out.’