Prime Video's new series Meet the Owens, released as a boxset on August 28, offers a glimpse into former footballer Michael Owen's family life, including his marriage to wife Louise. The six-part show follows Michael, 46, his wife Louise (née Bonsall), and their four children—Gemma, James, Emily, and Jessica—as he builds a horse racing business at Manor House Stables on a former arable farm.
Childhood sweethearts who grew up together
Michael and Louise met at primary school in 1984 and even appeared together in a class photo. On the show, Louise joked about Michael: "He was naughty and just a little s*** basically." She explained: "We didn't meet really, we just grew up together. Our parents lived about 10 doors away from each other. I just remember infants, primary…" Michael added "kiss chase," and the couple playfully bickered over who chased whom in the playground.
The couple, who live in Chester, Cheshire, have been together for 28 years and married for 21, after tying the knot in Chester in 2005. They have been together since they were around 17. Louise said Michael's humour was one of the things she loved about her husband.
Family life and the Real Madrid move
The couple welcomed their first child, Gemma, in 2003, followed by James in 2006, Emily in 2007, and Jessica in 2010. Michael said their lives changed "for the better" after Gemma's birth, though he admitted the move to Spain for his time at Real Madrid was tough for them all.
While Michael had the support of teammates like Ronaldo Nazario and David Beckham, Louise struggled. Michael said: "But she was just on her own, and it was so hard for me to see her get drained of life and how sad she was when it should have been such an exciting thing." He continued: "I knew there was no coming back from that. I knew that if I stayed another year, I know that Louise wouldn't have."
Louise's candid reflections
Michael stayed with the team for a year between 2004 and 2005 before leaving for Newcastle. Louise said she was "excited" for Michael and "grateful" for those times, but didn't miss it, adding she was happy where they were now. Meet the Owens is streaming on Prime Video now.
