Gary Lineker has had a tumultuous family life from a controversial divorce to a second marriage to a glamour model 20 years his junior.
The 65-year-old presenter hit the headlines over the weekend following his public bust-up with Tommy Robinson on social media. The far-right activist shared a video of Lineker walking with a woman alongside the caption: "What you up to here Gary Lineker?"
After the clip was viewed more than six million times, the footballing legend issued a stark response, shutting down Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. He said: "If you must know, I was going to a chemist with my daughter-in-law, to get some medicine for her unwell husband….my son. Hatred is a dreadful weakness."
Lineker is a proud father to four lads, George, Harry, Tobias, and Angus. Bella, the woman pictured in the video, is married to Harry. His four boys are from the former Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham striker's first marriage to Michelle Cockayne.
But after two decades together, Michelle called time on her marriage to the England legend, accusing him of "unreasonable behaviour" in a divorce settlement.
Michelle alleged Lineker's antics during their union had left her riddled with "stress and anxiety". Yet, they both later claimed their split was friendly, with Lineker spilling to The Times that he's had "two really good marriages..."
But it wasn't game over for love in Lineker's life, as he soon swooned over Cardiff bombshell Danielle Bux, who is 20 years younger than him.
Sparks flew between them in 2007 after a blind date played Cupid, leading to wedding bells in Italy just two years on.
Danielle, a Welsh actress and glamour model, strutted onto the scene in 1999 when she bagged a spot in the Miss Hawaiian Tropic contest in Las Vegas.
Although modelling was just a side hustle while she jetted around with Virgin Atlantic as an air hostess, Danielle's big moment came when she dazzled on the covers of glossy mags like Hello!, OK! and lads mag Maxim.
It wasn't a fairy tale ending for Lineker and his ex-wife Danielle, as they parted ways in 2016 over differing views on starting a family, but they've remained tight-knit pals.
In a heartfelt chat with The Mirror in September 2019, Lineker couldn't help but rave about their bond: "Danielle and I are best mates, we still speak three times a day, we text all the time. When she comes to London she stays with me, and when I go to LA I see her."
Reflecting on their discussions about having kids, he shared: "Obviously I would have done, but she said, 'It's not fair on you.' Then I said, 'Well, I'd feel terrible if I stop you doing it'."
Post-split, Danielle has tied the knot with Nate Greenwald and given birth to a daughter named Ella, with Lineker getting along swimmingly with her new husband:
"He's [Nate] not got a jealous bone in his body. We get on really well. We go out for dinner when I'm in LA."
Lineker shrugged off any oddness about their situation, stating: "It might be unusual and people might go, 'That's weird' but, frankly, I don't care.
"What is normal? Is it better to get divorced and end up fighting, screaming and shouting? Or is it better to get on if you can?"
Lineker has said he's "absolutely fine" with being single now and that the idea of joining a dating app "makes him feel sick".
And speaking on his The Rest is Football podcast in August, Lineker joked with Alan Shearer that he had not been intimate with anyone since splitting up with Bux.
The remark came as Lineker described his journey to and from Craven Cottage via a Lime Bike, where he watched Fulham's 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
Noting that it had been a long time since he had been on a bicycle, he said: "It was the first time I've ever been on lime bike. In fact, I think it's decades and decades since I sat on any kind of a bike."
To which Shearer replied, hinting at the intervening 15 years since he split with Bux: "It's probably the first time you've had a ride in 15 years!"
With both laughing at Shearer's connotation, Lineker conceded: "Sadly, that's probably true, Al. But anyway..."
