What we know about Michelle Ackerley’s ex-rugby player husband, Ben Ryan

Michelle Ackerley expects her first baby with her husband, rugby coach Ben Ryan, just a year after they made the knot.

She posted a series of beloved photos With Ben on Instagram, along with a photo of their babys scan. This is what we know about him.

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Who is Michelle Ackerley’s husband, Ben Ryan?

Michelle AckerleyThe husband, Ben Ryan, is an English sports coach who is best known to lead the rugby team of Fiji Sevens Their historic gold medal victory At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the first Olympic medal from Fiji ever.

He was in charge of the team from 2013 to 2016, during which time they claimed their first Dubai 7S title and put a new benchmark with nine tournament wins under his leadership.

Before he coached Fiji, Ben had an enchantment from the English Sevens team.

The 53-year-old is now the director of the Premier League football club Brentford.

Born on September 11, 1971, he graduated from the Loughborough University with a BSC in Sports Science, before earning a Mphil in the education of Cambridge University.

While he then played Scrum half in Cambridge for the Varsity Match-winning teams in 1995 and 1996, earned two blues and also supplied the Sevens side of the Light Blues.

He finally played Club Rugby with Nottingham and West Hartlepool.

However, he started coaching the English Sevens team in 2007 and led them through 67 international tournaments and 378 competitions, making him the longest serving coach in the role.

Under his leadership, England reached the semi -final or better 28 times better in the HSBC World Series and made the final of the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013, their first in 20 years.

He also coached the World Cup 2009, 2010 Commonwealth Games, and won the Junior 2011 Commonwealth games.

Ben led England to multiple successes before he resigned in August 2013, when he was replaced by Simon Amor.

In September 2013 he became a coach of the Fiji Sevens team and quickly wrote history, making them to their very first Dubai 7S victory ever in his second tournament.

Despite financial struggles within the Fiji Rugby -unionRyan went unpaid for a few months.

Under his leadership, Fiji won nine World Sevens series titles in three seasons and claimed the overall title 2014–15.

In 2016 he led Fiji to Olympic gold in RioThe first Olympic medal in the country.

Ryan resigned later that year and was honored with the Fiji name, Ratu Peni Rayani Latianara, and gifted country in Serua as a characteristic of gratitude.

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He received the highest honor of the country when he became a companion of the Order of Fiji.

It was also shown on the back of a circulating coin of 50 cents and on the front of a special $ 7 memorial banknote.

A year later, the Englishman joined the Welsh Rugby Union as a consultant, after he was Coach of the year proclaimed Through the Rugby Union Writers’ Club.

Ben lives in Southwest -Londs with his wife and is a proud supporter of Brentford.

How long is Michelle Ackerley married to Ben Ryan?

In May 2024, Michelle Confessed the knot with her fiancé, then be engaged since April 2022.

Ben was previously married to Natalie Peck, with their wedding that took place in July 2009.

The couple divorced in September 2016 and officially divorced on 2 August 2017.

They had no children together.

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Then, on May 6, 2025, Michelle announced on BBC’s Morning Live that she is four months pregnant.

In the show, Michelle said: “I still can’t quite believe it myself.”

Appear next to her fellow host Gethin JonesMichelle spoke about the calming presence of her husband.

She said: “He is so cooled.

“The thing is, I am not really sleeping well right now, so I woke up in the middle of the night at 3 o’clock and I took it on myself to wake up and say that this is what we have to get used to!”

Michelle continued discussing her pregnancy in a long Instagram post in which she also approached her fertility problems.

The TV presenter said: “I can’t believe it has been almost a year ago since get married and I really didn’t think 12 months didn’t that I would write a message that I am pregnant …

“However, I wanted to share because my journey with endometriosis and infertility is something that I finally felt confident to talk more open last year – realizing how many other women experienced similar experiences.

“Even at the beginning of this year, I was preparing for another endo procedure and tried to come to terms with the mental and physical impact they can have.

“It was quite the emotional roller coaster.

“The news of getting pregnant really came as a huge surprise for both of us. We still can’t quite believe it.

“And so in October the start of a new chapter for @Benryan7s and I, albeit with nervous and careful excitement.”