Gary Lineker reunites with first wife Michelle at son Harry's lavish wedding

Irish Daily Mirror

16-06-2025

Gary Lineker and his first wife, Michelle Cockayne, put their differences aside as they came together for the joyous occasion of their son Harry's wedding in Ibiza. The star-studded event saw Harry Lineker marry amidst the company of his well-known family, including Gary's brother Wayne, earlier this month.
In the heartwarming photos from the day, Gary, 64, looked dapper in a beige linen suit paired with cropped trousers and brown suede loafers, while seated next to Michelle, who was radiant in a midnight blue silk maxi dress, ideal for the Mediterranean setting. Another snapshot shows Michelle joining Gary and their four sons, Tobias, 29, George, 34, Angus, 26, and the groom, Harry, 31, for a memorable family moment on the Balearic island.
Gary and Michelle's romance began when they met at a young age; he was an 18 year old reserve for Leicester City, and she was just 14. They tied the knot in 1986.
Reflecting on their early days, Gary shared: "There wasn't one particular moment when we suddenly became a couple but I do remember asking her out for our first proper date to a restaurant when she was 17 and it just went on from there," adding sentimentally, "I was probably keener on her then than she was on me and I'm probably keener now."
The pair had four sons, but faced unspeakable heartache when their baby George was diagnosed with cancer, reports the Mirror.
Gary Lineker opened up about the unimaginably difficult period, revealing that George was hospitalised for seven months, during his chat on ITV's The Assembly, where celebrities are interviewed by neurodivergent or learning disabled individuals.
He tearfully recounted how their infant son was not expected to survive after being diagnosed with leukaemia at just two months old.
An emotional Gary recounted: "That was really tough - it changes you, he was only two months old. We got told he had leukaemia, he wasn't given much chance."
Recounting the ordeal, the ex-footballer, who has recently transitioned away from MOTD following a two-and-a-half-decade stint, shared: "It was really awful. We were in the hospital for around seven months with him."
Choking back tears, Gary reflected: "We were the lucky ones, because there were other parents in there that lost their kids so we felt quite fortunate in the end. It was really scary."
While discussing how he and Michelle endured the dread of those moments, Gary concluded: "I felt I needed to talk about it. Michelle, she would bottle things up. But ultimately we got a good ending."
Twenty years into their marriage, Michelle accused Gary of 'unreasonable behaviour', filing for divorce when he was just 16 and citing his conduct had led to her experiencing 'stress and anxiety'. Yet later on, the ex-couple declared their separation was without hard feelings.
Gary, who remarried Welsh model Danielle Bux, reflected positively in The Times, saying he's had "two really good marriages".