As Andy Burnham achieves his decades-long ambition of becoming the UK\u2019s prime minister on Monday, by his side will be his wife of 25 years, Marie-France van Heel.<\/p>\n
But who is the one-time game show contestant and marketing boss who is about to move into Downing Street?<\/p>\n
Ms van Heel, nicknamed Frankie, was described as “the coolest girl in college” when she met fellow undergraduate Mr Burnham at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, in 1989.<\/p>\n
Mr Burnham was in his second year studying English when the pair bonded over a shared love of The Smiths.<\/p>\n
Andy Burnham spoke with his wife Marie-France van Heel ahead of being confirmed as the new leader of the Labour Party Credit: Yui Mok\/PA<\/p>\n
Their relationship took an unusual turn when she went on Cilla Black\u2019s ITV show Blind Date in 1992.<\/p>\n
Mr Burnham said he watched the programme from behind the sofa.<\/p>\n
Ms van Heel, wearing a yellow headband over her blonde bob, chose \u201cWill from Surrey\u201d, who was wearing dungarees over a red jumper.<\/p>\n
Luckily for Mr Burnham, the duo did not hit it off, with Ms van Heel throwing a cushion at her TV date, who described her as a \u201ccold fish\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWill from Surrey\u201d, otherwise known as Will Harris, went on to become a marketing director for the Conservative Party.<\/p>\n
Mr Burnham with Ms van Heel and their daughter Rosie after the Makerfield by-election Credit: Peter Byrne\/PA<\/p>\n
Dutch-born Ms van Heel and Mr Burnham married in 2000 and had their first child of three \u2013 a son and two daughters \u2013 that year.<\/p>\n
The family, who have a bichon frise named Axel, are said to be tight-knit.<\/p>\n
Professionally, Ms van Heel has spent much of her career in marketing.<\/p>\n
After working at BSkyB, she founded MVH Marketing, and later became chief strategy officer at London-based agency Heavenly, which has worked on campaigns for HSBC, England Rugby and the BBC.<\/p>\n
She is now chief marketing officer at Iduna Infrastructure, a firm which owns large parts of Manchester\u2019s electric vehicle charging network.<\/p>\n
Mr Burnam and Ms van Heel met as undergraduates at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge in 1989 Credit: Ian West\/PA<\/p>\n
After questions about a possible conflict of interest, Mr Burnham, as Greater Manchester mayor, distanced himself from decisions about Iduna and declared his wife\u2019s job.<\/p>\n
Ms van Heel has largely stayed out of the limelight since her husband first became an MP in 2001.<\/p>\n
She did not join Mr Burnham on stage after his speech accepting the Labour leadership.<\/p>\n
But they were pictured embracing in the hall of the TUC\u2019s headquarters in London, where their children also sat in the front row.<\/p>\n
It remains to be seen how visible she chooses to be once she takes up residence in No 10 as the prime minister\u2019s spouse.<\/p>\n