'Still really close': U2 rockstar Bono finally responds to romance rumours between his wife Ali Hewson and bandmate The Edge
The U2 frontman, 65, born Paul David Hewson, spoke to The Project on Sunday ahead of his upcoming film Bono: Stories of Surrender.
The documentary delves into Bono's life as U2's lead vocalist and the trials and tribulations of being a son, father, husband, activist and rocker.
In it, he suggested his wife of 43 years Ali and U2's lead guitarist David Howell Evans, known as The Edge, were "an item".
He told The Project the rumour was "still a sore subject".
And Bono praised the pair for being "the two cleverest in their year" at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin.
It's there the rockstar said Ali first appeared interested in David's guitar skills when the pair were in the year below Bono.
"She (Ali) did seem to be taking an interest in his guitar playing and, as hard as I might practise, I just knew I couldn't touch this guy," Bono said.
Ali Hewson and Bono depart the 'Bono: Stories Of Surrender' red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals in May 2025 in Cannes, France. Picture:Bono and The Edge. Picture:"So I had to become, you know, the class clown."
The founding member of U2 poked further fun at himself as he said Ali and David are "still really close" and "still talk about me behind my back".
"They say it's out of concern," he joked.
He said he didn't need to "worry about" them as some friends were "so consistent" and "there" for him.
"Edge is one, Ali is another," he said.
Scene from a U2 video film clip for The Sweetest Thing featuring Ali and Bono. Picture: News Limited.
Bono met Ali at age 13, and after splitting up briefly and reuniting, he married the Irish businesswoman and activist in 1982.
After their honeymoon on Jamaica's north coast, the newlyweds returned to live in a small mews house in Howth, 14km northeast of Dublin.
They shared the home with the rest of U2's members Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr.
In his 2022 memoir Surrender, Bono said his wife would "have been happier" had he embarked on a whirlwind life with the band's members.
"Ali would have been happier with a life that was simpler than the one we've ended up with," the rocker said.
U2 performing on their Joshua Tree Tour at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Simon Cross/Supplied
"Ali had never been 'just' my girlfriend, and now she was never going to be 'just' my wife."
"She was also realising that there were three other men in her marriage.
"Men whom she was more than fond of, but men who were taking her man away, not just in his wild imaginings, but physically, all over the world."
In 2022, Bono told The Sunday Times Magazine Ali "wanted to jump" from their marriage when Bono became less present at home during U2's 1980s tour.
However, he said the couple could always "pull each other back" out of the dark times.
"It's not like our love was absent any dark undercurrents or briny water, (but) we got each other through those bits where it was hard to see where we were. Ali calls it 'the work of love'."
Bono and Ali shared daughters Jordan, 36, Eve, 33, and sons Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q, 25, and John Abraham, 24.
Elijah followed in his father's footsteps as the lead vocalist and guitarist in the rock band Inhaler.
Eve is an established actress best known for her lead role in the Netflix hit Behind Her Eyes.
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