BBC Homes Under The Hammer's Dion Dublin shares rare snap of wife and daughter

Dion Dublin, who is now known for his role on BBC's Homes Under the Hammer, occasionally shares photos of his family on social media - including his wife Cheryl and daughter Ruby

Homes Under the Hammer favourite Dion Dublin delighted fans with a rare glimpse into his personal life - sharing an adorable photo of his wife and daughter during a family beach day.

The TV personality and former footballer, who is usually private about his home life, took to Instagram to post the heartwarming snap, which comes after the family faced the devastating loss of Dion's sister, whom he described as his "heartbeat and backbone".

The 55-year-old presenter, who has graced the pitch for Manchester United, tied the knot with Cheryl Dublin in 2017, and together they share their daughter Ruby Roseanne. Despite his fame, Dion prefers to keep his family moments out of the public eye, but occasionally treats his followers to pictures from their vacations or special outings, as we previously reported.

In a recent Instagram post, Dion captured a joyful moment with Cheryl and Ruby on a beach outing. The trio flashed big smiles for the camera, with little Ruby sporting a vibrant bike helmet while being cradled by her doting father.

Accompanying the picture, Dion playfully captioned it "Dublin Day Out! ", complete with emojis hinting at the chilly weather. Fans were quick to express their affection, with one commenting: "Beautiful family", while another added: "Awww what a lovely photo."

Dion, a devoted family man, opened up to the Mirror in 2018 about his ideal weekends spent with loved ones, enthusing: "If the weather's right then I'd always stay in the UK. I love getting away with my wife and dog," and revealing his top pick for a Sunday treat is a hearty full English breakfast. "My wife's a better cook than me by a million miles. She does most of the cooking as I'm out at work, and always makes sure I'm fed and watered," he further praised his spouse's culinary skills, reports OK!.

The bonds of family were violently shaken when Dion faced an unbearable loss in July 2022— the passing of his beloved sister Carmen. In an emotional tribute, he took to social media saying: "Yesterday we lost our amazing sister Carmen, the heartbeat and backbone to our family. Our hearts are truly broken, we will be lost without you."

Only a year before, Dion had reflected on the close-knit ties with his family during an interview with the Mirror, sharing treasured recollections of times they've spent together.

As the youngest among five children, Dion cherished the heritage of his parents, both immigrants from the West Indies who arrived as part of the Windrush generation. His late mother, Rose, was a dedicated district nurse, while his father, Eddie, who has now aged into his 80s, once had the potential to break into professional football.

Dion, the Celebrity Masterchef star and former footballer, shared a fascinating family story in August 2021. He revealed: "At one point, my dad had a choice whether to sign pro-forms for Fulham or go on tour as a bass player with Rod Stewart. That was the choice. Go professional or go on tour with Rod Stewart. It was a pretty amazing choice to have. He chose to go on tour with Rod Stewart. Music was closer to his heart. He still plays now. He's 82 and he's still playing bass in a reggae band."

The Homes Under the Hammer presenter added: "We all play music. I play percussion, my mum [Rose], when she was alive, played the mandolin and we've got Clem who plays lead guitar. Eddie plays drums, Ash, my eldest brother is a bass player and Carmen used to play the keyboards. I think if I'd taken up percussion earlier I might have gone for it... Percussion is my passion when it comes to music, and it's something that's come straight down from Mum and Dad."

Before becoming a familiar face on TV, Dion had a successful career in the Premiership, playing for Manchester United, Coventry City and Aston Villa. After retiring from professional football, he joined the presenting team on Homes Under the Hammer in 2015 and regularly works as a pundit for Football Focus, Match of the Day and other BBC Sport programmes.