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Channing Tatum recalls his 'cruel' marriage proposal to Jenna Dewan

He's known for being sexy, romantic and charming, but when Channing Tatum popped the question to wife Jenna back in 2008, he was downright rude.
/ Source: TODAY

He's known for being sexy, sweet, romantic and charming, but when Channing Tatum popped the question to wife Jenna Dewan back in 2008, he was downright rude.

The "Magic Mike" star recounted the tale of his "cruel" marriage proposal during an interview on BBC Radio 1 Wednesday.

Jenna Dewan Tatum talks about how she and Channing Tatum began dating.
Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum attend the grand opening of "Magic Mike Live Las Vegas" at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on April 21, 2017.Ethan Miller / Getty Images

“When I proposed to my wife I did something pretty cruel because I thought she was on to me," he explained. "I basically told her I never wanted to get married to try to throw her off."

But his effort to cover his tracks did more than throw her off. It broke her heart.

"I told her, ‘I don’t believe in the institution of marriage and I don’t think I ever want to get married,'" he said.

Her reaction? "She basically broke down crying."

Since tears weren't what the actor was going for, his premarital misstep prompted a change in plans.

"I thought, ‘This is not going well at all,'" he recalled. "So I had to propose to her sooner rather than later.”

Obviously, she said yes.

Radio host Nick Grimshaw gave the star a chance at a proposal do-over on the show Wednesday — not with Jenna, of course, but on behalf of a fan who wanted to wed his own girlfriend but didn't have a ring. The man thought Tatum could help him get an "I do."

"Look, I'll be a ring, whatever," Tatum offered.

After one brief call to the man's girlfriend, she said yes — without any tears this time.