Annabel Croft, the former British tennis star and Wimbledon pundit, is set to rejoin the BBC's broadcast team for Wimbledon 2026, bringing her personal life back into the spotlight. Three years after the death of her husband, Mel Coleman, Croft has made it clear she is not ready to date, while her net worth has soared to an estimated £1.2 million, largely from her media career.
Dating Stance After Husband's Death
Croft, 59, was married to yachtsman Mel Coleman for nearly 30 years when he died of stomach cancer in May 2023, just 12 weeks after his diagnosis. Speaking to The Sun's Fabulous magazine in 2024, she described the traumatic final hours: "I have traumatic flashbacks of the day Mel died. During his final hours, as he drifted in and out of consciousness, he started listing instructions like, 'Change the tyre on the van' and then saying to the children, 'Sorry I can't be there for your weddings.' That memory breaks my heart."
In a 2024 interview with The Times, Croft said she was not ready to date, despite receiving invitations: "I've had people asking for dinner dates. I'm, like, 'You have no idea!' I'm not anywhere close to that. It gives me the heebies to think about it. It's never say never, but I wouldn't mind if it was never." She added, "Still, I don't want to feel doom and gloom for the rest of my life. Mel would have wanted me to be happy."
Croft later reaffirmed her stance in an interview with Hello! magazine last year, stating: "I don't even consider it. It's not something I'm thinking about at all. I'm not in that headspace – it's way too soon." She has also said she "didn't want to be a professional widow" but emphasized she still wasn't ready to date.
Soaring Net Worth
Croft's estimated £1.2 million net worth stems primarily from her broadcasting career, with only a small portion from her tennis playing days. After winning the Wimbledon and Australian Open girls' titles in 1984, she turned professional and competed for four years, retiring in 1988 with around $200,000 in competition winnings (approximately £155,000 today).
Her media career spans nearly 40 years, including presenting and hosting shows for various channels. She also released a fitness video, 'Annabel Croft's Shape Tape', in 1990. In 2023, she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, earning an estimated £60,000: a flat appearance fee of £25,000 plus £35,000 for reaching fourth place.
Croft will return to BBC screens for Wimbledon 2026, continuing her role as a pundit. Her personal life and financial success remain topics of public interest as she navigates life after loss.
