Adrian Chiles has told of his growing friendship with The One Show co-host Christine Bleakley just days after it emerged his ten-year marriage is over.

Chiles, 41, revealed that while he struggled to get on with the glamorous 27-year-old when they first met, they have since 'clicked' and now exercise together every day.

They even planned to run this year's London and Edinburgh marathons together before injuries forced them to pull out.

Enlarge 

The One Show presenters Christine Bleakley and Adrian Chiles reveal how they've come to like each other and make a great team, discussing how they put each show together

'At first, I thought she was a dippy, nice-looking bird from Northern Ireland, and she thought I was a miserable old fart. But we eventually just clicked,' he said in an interview with Radio Times.

'Christine's technically brilliant. She crosses the t's and dots the i's. What tends to happen is that I put us in trouble, and she gets us out of it.'

Chiles has just announced his split from radio host wife Jane Garvey, with whom he has two daughters Evie, eight, and Sian, five.

Miss Bleakley made her name as a presenter in Northern Ireland before going on to present BBC2 variety show Let Me Entertain You.

She landed the job co-hosting The One Show on BBC1 after Myleene Klass left last August. 'It's no secret that I didn't like Adrian at all to begin with - I found him intense,' said Miss Bleakley. 'And I think, as far as he was concerned, I was a nonentity. But I gave as good as I got and, eventually, that created a chemistry.'

The pair, who share an office, go on daily runs together around the BBC's studios in West London.

Miss Bleakley, who is in a relationship with entrepreneur Mark Beirne, has already spoken of her blossoming friendship with Chiles.

Last month she said: 'Adrian and I get on very well and share a similar sense of humour - daft, dry and a bit quirky. I think it helps any show when the hosts have obvious chemistry.'

Enlarge 

Planning their show: Adrian and Christine in the office

Adrian Chiles and Jane Garvey with daughter Evie

She said that when she first arrived on the show Chiles 'acted like a total prat' and 'practically ignored her'. She added: 'It's funny looking back because we get on so well it's incredible.'

A spokesman for Miss Bleakley confirmed they were 'good friends off screen' but said any suggestion that there was anything more to their relationship was 'utterly ludicrous'.

Chiles's agents have insisted no one else is involved in the breakdown of his marriage to Miss Garvey - long been regarded as one of the most stable relationships in showbusiness.

The split has been blamed on Chiles's burgeoning career, along with his supposed inability to turn down work that left him stressed and with less time for his wife and two children.

Adrian's interview is in this week's Radio Times

He is believed to have left the couple's £1.35million five-bedroom home in Shepherd's Bush, West London, six weeks ago.

Miss Garvey, 44, worked on the Five Live radio station for 13 years, before being named as the new host of Radio 4's Woman's Hour.

But she scaled back her work commitments to look after the couple's two daughters.

Earlier this year, Chiles was at the centre of a multi-million pound tug-of-war between the BBC and ITV. Chiles opted to stay at the BBC with a £2million deal.

He is credited with making The One Show a ratings success. It attracts more than five million viewers a day. He also fronts Working Lunch and Match of the Day 2.