Gary Lineker has revealed the surprising reason he is perfectly content to stay single, despite remaining open to a romantic “thunderclap”.
The former England captain, 65, spoke candidly about his love life while reflecting on his life after the BBC and his plans for the future in an interview with The Observer magazine.
Lineker has been divorced twice, most recently from actress Danielle Bux, who is 19 years his junior. He said that, despite having had “the odd date, a few short relationships” since their split, he has now settled into being on his own.
“Unanswerable to anyone”
“I’ve become very comfortable being unanswerable to anyone,” he said. “Call that selfish if you want, I don’t feel I need someone in my life.”
The former Match of the Day presenter said he has plenty of female friends and enjoys their company, but suggested he is perfectly happy without the romantic side of a relationship.
“I have a lot of female friends who I get on really well with, so that’s satisfying because I love female company,” he said. “But it’s the other bit that comes with it,” he added, before laughing. “I’m quite happy to be without that.”
Attitude towards sex and relationships
Lineker previously spoke openly about his attitude towards relationships and sex in 2019, describing himself as “unbelievably fussy” and saying he was “not massively into sex”.
He now believes his testosterone levels have fallen since then and said his interest has waned further. While he does not expect to enter another serious relationship, Lineker has not completely ruled out being swept off his feet. He said he remains open to what he described as a “thunderclap”.
The broadcaster also admitted he has concerns about entering another long-term relationship because of the potential burden it could place on a partner or his children if he eventually needs care.
Preparing to become a grandfather
Lineker has four sons from his first marriage to Michelle Cockayne and is preparing to become a grandfather for the first time. His second son, Harry, and his wife, Annabelle, are expecting a daughter later this year, with the baby due around Lineker’s birthday in November.
The former footballer said the couple live just 10 minutes from his home in Barnes, meaning he expects to play a role in his granddaughter’s life. “I’m very much looking forward to it,” he said.
However, he admitted becoming a grandparent has also prompted him to think about the world a child is being born into. “But I do have concerns thinking, ‘What a time to bring a child into the world.’ Which one of the things do we worry about? Do we worry about AI? Do we worry about the climate? Do we worry about blowing ourselves up in some kind of war?”
