'It's been a long game': Frank Lampard admits wife Christine Bleakley found it 'difficult' at first to be a stepmother to his girls

They're now a happy modern family following Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakley's nuptials last Christmas.

However, the former Chelsea footballer admits it was a 'difficult' at first for his now-wife to settle into the role of stepmother to his two daughters.

The New York City FC player, 37, has two children Isla, eight; and Luna, 10; with his ex-fiancee Elen Rivas, 40.

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Blended family: Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakley with his daughters Isla (front left) and Luna (front right) at the footballer's Investiture ceremony in London last October

After meeting Christine at the Pride Of Britain Awards in October 2009, Frank made the decision to wait until a year later to introduce his girlfriend to his children.

Speaking in his first interview as a married man on This Morning, Frank said: 'It’s been a long game and you develop it slowly and fair play to all of them.

'I’m the bystander in that situation - but the girls love Christine and vice versa.'

He said: 'The step-parent thing is a real difficult thing, when you're not involved in the situation you have no idea of how many difficulties there are for everyone, particularly Christine's position, you know?'

Happier than ever: When asked how married life was treating him, Frank said, 'Very good, very good - we are both loving it. It was a fantastic day...[looking at Phil and Holly] obviously you were both there!'

Phillip mentioned how lovely it was to hear his girls talk about Christine during the wedding speeches.

'Yes, and there was no prompting there, that was their own want to get up and speak about her... 

'The step parent thing is a real difficult thing, when you're not involved in the situation you have no idea of how many difficulties there are for everyone, particularly Christine's position, you know?' 

Finally! Christine and Frank tied the knot in London last Christmas after a four and a half year engagement

When asked how married life was treating him, Frank said, 'Very good, very good - we are both loving it. It was a fantastic day...[looking at Phil and Holly] obviously you were both there!'

Phillip said: 'It was so stunning.'

Holly added: 'It was the best day, Christine looked so beautiful...' 

Frank said, 'She did, she did look amazing... and it went as well as we could have imagined actually. 

'All the stress of organising - which she did 80% of at least! But on the day, we couldn't complain, everything went perfectly. All our friends and close family were there, we had a great day.'

On their honeymoon with the girls to Dubai, Frank said, 'Yes, we took them [daughters] away. That was pre arranged and fair play to Christine - we had a few moments of honeymoon time on that trip - but it was a family kind of one. We had a great time.'

Watching from the back from the studio, Christine could be seen smiling and waving to all three of them, with Frank proudly smiling saying "The Wife!"

Frank went on to reveal how he felt more nervous during the wedding rehearsal three days before, than on the actual day. 

'We did a run through at the church and I was really nervous with nobody there strangely enough, but on the day, I wasn’t too nervous at all really… I just really enjoyed it, I expected to be more nervous than what I was.' 

Fortunately, Christine, developed a good bond with the children, who spend half the week at home with the Lampards and the other half with their mother, Spanish model Elen.

In an interview last year, Christine spoke about her relationship as a stepmother: 'I'd like to think, if you asked the girls in 10 years' time, they would say that it was a well-thought-out process - I didn't meet them for a year, on purpose.

'They know I'm their little mate. I don't want to be their mummy. That was never even a thought.'

However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the Lampards after there was some terse exchanges on Twitter during Christmas 2011.

Elen ended her seven-year relationship with the footballer in November 2008 and moved into a £2.8million house provided for them by Frank.

However, she ended up blasting her ex on Twitter over the Christmas period while she was in India, accusing him of 'trying to stop his children from speaking to their mother over Christmas'.

Bonding: Christine and Frank with the girls at a Chelsea FC match in 2012

The former WAG claimed she attempted to speak to her girls on the phone to wish them a 'happy Christmas', but Frank wouldn't allow her because they were asleep at the time due to the time difference.

Clearly upset, she then blasted her ex on Twitter, then brought his then-fiancée Christine into the argument.

She wrote on Christmas Eve: ''You would have thought the girlfriend would have a little maternal understanding...'

Christine ended up re-tweeting a comment from a friend which said: 'Looks like someone is up to their old tricks again, telling lies!! Have an amazing Xmas @clbleakley with frank & the girls! C u nxt wk xxxx.'

The former Daybreak host replied: 'Thanks J. I'd happily put the record straight but really don't think twitter is a place to do it when children are involved x.'

Tumultuous: Frank and his ex-fiancee, Spanish model Elen Rivas in 2007 - a year before they split after seven years together