Wayne Lineker Announces Sudden Closure of Ibiza Celebrity Hangout After 37 Years
The San Antonio venue, a firm favourite amongst tourists on the party island, has been shuttered by its owner, Wayne Lineker. Sharing the news on Instagram, Lineker described it as "the end of an era" for the iconic hotspot.
End of an Era for Linekers Sports Bar
Sports bar Linekers, one of many venues owned by Wayne – brother of footballer Gary Lineker – had become a beloved destination for tourists over nearly four decades. In a video announcement, the Celebs Go Dating star stated: "The End of an Era… the home of football for tourists for 37 years across the world…"
He clarified that his flagship venue in Puerto Banus, Marbella, will remain open and is currently "thriving". Wayne also owns the famous beach club O Beach Ibiza, which opened in 2012 and quickly gained popularity among celebrities.
Health Battles and Personal Reflections
The closure news follows Wayne's recent vow to abandon his hard-partying lifestyle after a terrifying health diagnosis and hospitalisation. Speaking to co-hosts Ed Balls and Susanna Reid in January, the 63-year-old revealed the depths of his struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction.
Wayne disclosed that at one point, he would consume vodka and Red Bull for breakfast daily. After describing 2025 as both the "worst but the best year of my life", he admitted that after 37 years of drinking "very much every day, enough was enough".
He explained: "I found myself in a never-ending cycle of lack of energy in the mornings when I woke up. My breakfast of choice was a cheese and tomato toastie and a vodka Red Bull. I was drinking all day, every day. It was a never-ending cycle I couldn't get out of because I didn't want to spend the whole day in my villa on my own, hungover, anxious."
Turning Points and Family Impact
Another harsh realisation occurred when Wayne's son, who also resides in Ibiza, informed him he could no longer pick up his granddaughters from school. Wayne recounted: "My son Duane called me in the office one day - I've got two granddaughters in Ibiza who I collect regularly from school. He said, 'Dad, we can't have you picking up the girls from school anymore.'"
When asked by Susanna if he believed he had become a danger to the children's safety, Wayne replied, "Yeah because I'd always got alcohol in my system or drugs. Even though I might have been compos mentis the next day reasonably, I'm not alert, I'm not being myself. As much as an upset that was, it really hit home."
Recent Health Scare and Future Plans
The brother of football pundit Gary Lineker also opened up about a recent brush with death during a pneumonia battle, which required hospitalisation over Christmas. He described the ordeal: "I was close to death, twice. I actually went to Dubai and caught an infection of what I thought was very similar to Covid so I was worried. I jumped on the plane, put a mask on and went home."
He detailed the agony: "When I got home, this was about eight, nine weeks ago, I was feeling really ill so my infection that I had seemed to be getting worse. I had a couple of hours sleep and it was late at night, 2am and I went into bed and my phone was on the other side of the room. I woke up two hours later and I couldn't move at all."
Wayne managed to crawl to his phone and call an ambulance, describing it as "probably the worst two minutes of my life". He added: "I phoned my daughter and I knew she'd be awake in Dubai and I thought I was having a heart attack. She was super upset, she called her mum who lives really close to me. She's come round at 3 in the morning and called the ambulance in. It was so horrific, it's not just chest infection, it's your whole body."
When asked if past alcohol and drug use exacerbated his health issues, Wayne responded: "The way I see it, I went to rehab for five weeks. While I was in rehab, my immune system crashed. Apparently it's a thing after you've been drinking for such a long period of time and heavily, your immune system says, 'Where's my alcohol? If you don't give it me, I'm going to make you pay.'"
Wayne expressed his hope to open a rehab centre to assist others, targeting the "small percentage who can’t stop when they have started". This initiative stems from his own challenging experiences with addiction and recovery.
