ITV survey reveals secrets to a successful long-term relationship

Been married or in a relationship for 10 years or more and ever wonder how often you should be having sex? Or ever bicker with your partner about whether you’re splitting the housework fairly enough?

Or maybe you’ve only just got together and you’re dithering over when is the *right* time to move in together?

Ahead of the launch of true crime series Love & Death, ITV commissioned a survey to uncover the secrets to a successful long-term relationship.

Here’s what they found…

How often you should be having sex to stay happy

In a survey of 2,000 British couples who have been together for a decade or longer, researchers identified “having fun together”, “admitting when you are wrong” and “always having each other’s backs”, as the three most important elements of a happy long-term relationship.

Interestingly, only 26% of couples seemed to think a 50/50 division of household chores was important to marriage success. Even fewer (20%) valued liking the same TV shows.

Taking things to the bedroom, almost a quarter of couples said that they needed a “similar sex drive” to their partner. Meanwhile, a third picked out “regular sex” as a secret to a successful relationship.

But how regular is regular? SEVEN emerged as the magic number of times to be doing the deed every month, according to researchers.

Is it too early to move in together?

Meanwhile, newer couples might be interested to know that the honeymoon period apparently ends after approximately nine months.

Married couples survery

The survey concluded that it’s probably best to wait a bit longer than that before moving in with your partner.

One year and five months was found to be the average point to move in together, to ensure a successful long-term relationship.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for ITVX who commissioned the poll said: “It’s fascinating to learn that almost half of all married couples in the UK are impacted by infidelity. Thankfully, the vast majority of British couples are able to resolve things amicably.”

The secrets to a happy long-term relationship:

1. Having fun together – 64 percent
2. Admitting when you are wrong – 51 percent
3. Always having each other’s backs – 50 percent
4. Compromise – 50 percent
5. Having no secrets – 43 percent
6. Being able to laugh at each other – 42 percent
7. Never stopping saying I love you – 42 percent
8. Having the same sense of humour – 41 percent
9. Never trying to change each other – 36 percent
10. Regular sex – 32 percent
11. Never going to sleep on an argument – 31 percent
12. Being able to cry in front of each other – 27 percent
13. A 50/50 division of household chores – 26 percent
14. A similar sex drive – 24 percent
15. Regular time apart – 22 percent
16. Liking the same TV shows – 20 percent
17. Cooking together – 17 percent
18. Having separate bank accounts. – 16 percent
19. Having the same bedtime – 15 percent
20. Having an open phone policy – 10 percent
21. Like the same takeaways – 10 percent
22. Never going to the loo in front of each other – 7 percent
23. Being aligned politically – 6 percent
24. Forgiving an infidelity – 5 percent
25. Separate beds – 5 percent

Love & Death is available to stream on ITVX from Thursday September 7. It tells the unbelievable true story of Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen), a 1980s Texas housewife accused of murder.

Read more: Man sparks backlash as he begs his wife to wear less ‘revealing’ and ‘skimpy’ clothing in front of his mother

Do you agree? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.