Dion Dublin is a familiar face on our screens as he makes regular appearances on Homes Under the Hammer. Aside from fronting the popular BBC daytime programme, the 57-year-old is also a former professional footballer. In 2023, Dion made the move to Merseyside and he lives on the Wirral.
Football Career and Move to Broadcasting
The former striker is renowned as a Premier League legend as he picked up the Golden Boot at Coventry City in 1998. He also enjoyed spells at Aston Villa and Celtic during his glittering career. The former England international's wife, Cheryl, hails from Wirral and they relocated to the area three years ago to be closer to her family.
Born in Leicester in 1969, Dion played for several notable clubs throughout his football career. It was after his retirement that Dion shifted over to broadcasting and successfully made a name for himself on screen. He worked as a pundit for Sky Sports and appeared on Ford Super Sunday with Richard Keys. He also commented on a number of games including the UEFA Champions League games.
Joining Homes Under the Hammer
His career went in a completely different direction in 2015 when he combined his passion for television and love of property as he joined Martin Roberts and Lucy Alexander on the BBC daytime show Homes Under the Hammer. The programme sees Dion visit properties up and down the UK after they are purchased at auction by a buyer who hopes to transform the house to sell it on for profit.
Speaking about joining the show 11 years ago, Dion told the BBC: “I am thrilled to be joining Martin and Lucy on Homes Under The Hammer. I have a passion for property and look forward to meeting people on the show who share that passion.” Dublin began acquiring properties while he was still playing football. He renovated various properties which led him to co-found the Lot9 Auction House.
Life on the Wirral
In 2023, Dion moved to the Wirral to be closer to his wife Cheryl's family. In an interview with the ECHO in 2024, Dion said he loves living in the area and said the people make Merseyside so special. He told the ECHO: "We uprooted here just over a year ago. It's a lovely place, the people are great, normal and courteous. Nobody wants anything from you."
"There's obviously the odd picture or autograph, but that's just par for the course and nobody is ever rude. I've got a lot of time for it here and the city is brilliant. I've got no qualms with the place and I absolutely love it." Dion played for Manchester United for two years and he joked things can get awkward with Cheryl's Liverpool FC supporting family when the two North West giants face off against each other. He joked: "They're all Reds so we watch Liverpool vs Man United in separate rooms."
Family Life
The couple keep their private life relatively under wraps, but he often shares glimpses into his life off-screen. He tied the knot with his wife Cheryl in 2017, and they share a daughter called Ruby, born in 2020. Dion shares snaps of their busy family life, including insights into some gorgeous family trips. The TV star recently shared a post as they enjoyed a trip to Croatia. Dion shared a carousel of photos from their week in the sunshine as he wrote: "Sunshine, scoops and great company. Met some cracking people and had a brilliant week."
The dad shared several photos with his wife and daughter, from car selfies to snaps by the sea.
Tragic Family Loss
Back in 2022, Dion opened up on the tragic loss of his sister. He shared the heartbreaking news in an emotional tribute on social media, describing her as the "heartbeat and backbone" of their family. Dion wrote: “Yesterday we lost our amazing sister Carmen, the heartbeat and backbone to our family. Our hearts are truly broken, we will be lost without you.”
Dion has previously opened up about his personal life, sharing his family were all musicians. Dion is the youngest of the five siblings. His late mum Rose worked as a district nurse while dad Eddie had the option to be a professional footballer. Speaking about his parents, Dion said: "At one point, my dad had a choice whether to sign pro-forms for Fulham or go on tour. That was the choice. Go professional or go on tour as a bass player with Rod Stewart. It was a pretty amazing choice to have. He chose to go on tour with Rod Stewart. Music was closer to his heart."
His family were all musically talented, as the former footballer said: “We all play music. I play percussion, my mum [Rose], when she was alive, played the mandolin and we’ve got Clem who plays lead guitar. Eddie plays drums, Ash, my eldest brother is a bass player and Carmen used to play the keyboards. I think if I’d taken up percussion earlier I might have gone for it..." Instead, Dion chose a career in football and joined Cambridge United. He later joined Manchester United and established himself as one of the Premier League's best strikers at Coventry City and Aston Villa.
