Connie Chung reveals the secret of her 40-year marriage to Maury Povich

After 40 years of marriage, Connie Chung has done more than enough research to know what she's talking about.

The journalist revealed what made her marriage to Maury Povich so successful since their wedding in 1984.

“When you think about it, Maury and I have always had our own things that we do,” Chung told US Weekly on Tuesday while promoting “Connie: A Memoir.” “I believe that you don't have to be friends with all your friends, and he doesn't have to be friends with all my friends. He can do whatever he wants, and I'll do whatever I want.”

She added: “We always get together and have dinner together – sometimes we have lunch together – but we don't get on each other's nerves.”

In her memoirs, former news anchor Chung describes her love story with 85-year-old Povich in detail. She even devoted an entire chapter to their romance.

“I love Maury with all my heart and I know he loves me very much, but sometimes I don't necessarily like him,” she writes. “I guess the feeling is mutual.”

Chung explained this sentence to US Weekly and admitted that she could “never spend the whole day” with the TV presenter.

She joked: “That's why I think – I know I love him, but if we spend too much time together, then I don't like him.”

Chung and Povich had a long-distance relationship for seven years before marrying in 1984. After the birth of their son Matthew Povich in 1995, the couple adopted him.

“I kind of knew he was going to be the one, but neither I nor he wanted that. We were both single and enjoying our freedom,” she told the outlet. “When I was ready to commit, he wasn't ready. When he was ready to commit, I wasn't ready. It went back and forth and we just slowly moved this relationship forward for a long time.”

For a while, Chung and Povich lived on opposite sides of the country, she in Los Angeles and he in Philadelphia, and it took a while for the two to reconnect.

“He was such a bad boy that I said, 'Hey, let's take a six-month break.' And I think that was good,” Chung said.

After six months, Chung wrote, she and the Maury alum met again at a wedding in Texas, but it wasn't until she moved back to New York in 1984 that they began their future together.

“Without Maury, I would never have had the career I had,” Chung admits in her book. “For decades, he was my foundation, my pillar of support, my love, my partner in every way. He helped me navigate my treacherous path to the top. I used to think I could survive without him. The man in me told me I didn't depend on anyone. I was just another white guy, just like him. Now I know I couldn't live without Maury.”

In 2020, the couple reflected on their love story in a conversation with People, and Povich shared tips for a successful marriage.

“No matter what discussions or arguments we have during the day, as soon as we put our heads on the pillow, it's over and must not be continued the next morning. I don't think about that,” he said. “But we've always respected each other's careers and we've always respected each other's space and values. There's no need for repetition. Maybe that's why we're still married.”

“Connie: A Memoir” is now available.