Michelle Cockayne: The Untold Story of Gary Lineker’s Ex-Wife
How does life change when fame turns to family? This is the case of Michelle Cockayne, spouse to the renowned footballer Gary Lineker, whose life has been transformed from a supportive spouse to a devoted mother. It’s a story of evolution, love and perseverance. We explore how Michelle balanced being a wife, mother, and her own person through different stages of life.
Birth, Parents, and Education
Michelle Cockayne was born in 1966 in the United Kingdom. Her father, Roger Cockayne, was a prominent businessman, and her mother, Julia Cockayne, was an artist. Michelle has a younger sister whose name is Ali. There isn’t much available about her primary schooling years, but most probably she would have gone to a local school in her hometown.
Career
The first job of Michelle Cockayne was a model, starting in the 1980s. She featured in quite a number of fashion magazines and also advertisements. Apart from that, she was engaged in acting and worked as a TV presenter, starring in the 1993 film “Splitting Heirs.”. It appears she has enjoyed success in both the fashion and entertainment industries.
Love Story with Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker first met Michelle Cockayne when they were both teenagers. Soon after they met, they became quite close. In 1986, at the age of 26, Gary started a family with her. They lived together for 20 years and brought into the world four sons named George, Harry, Tobias, and Angus. Still, after 20 years, in 2006, Michelle initiated proceedings of divorce, claiming that Gary behaved badly and that was the reason why they separated.
Gary Lineker: Ex-husband
Gary Lineker was born in Leicester, England, on November 30, 1960. He popularly rose to fame for being a striker and professional footballer. He played for clubs in the UK, including Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and others.
He was also a representative of the national team of England and was able to score 48 goals in 80 matches.
Gary Lineker’s most memorable time came during the 1986 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot for being the top scorer. After hanging his boots in 1994, Gary took to the media, mostly as a sports broadcaster for programs like “Match of the Day” on BBC.
Children
All the sons of Michelle Cockayne now live in different places and pursue different careers:
George Lineker (born 1991) is the oldest of Lineker’s children. He is one of the founders of Your Business Number, a company that issues business numbers to entrepreneurs. He is based in London, UK.
Harry Lineker (born 1994) is a producer who works under Goalhanger Films Ltd., the production company of his father. He is based in London with his spouse.
Tobias Lineker (born 1996) is a DJ who has toured in various regions across the world. At one point, he was the resident DJ for Raffles, a high-end London club.
Angus Lineker (born 1998) is a business development executive at Rokstone Sport & Prize. Like the other sons, Andrew lives in London, UK.
Life After Divorce
Michelle Cockayne was married to Gary Lineker until their divorce in 2006, and since then she has maintained a relatively private existence, and there is little available information about her. She has concentrated on looking after their four sons, George, Harry, Tobias, and Angus.
Gary Lineker, however, married the model Danielle Bux in 2009. They separated in 2016 because their wishes to have children diverged. Since that time, Gary has remained unmarried and has accepted a life of celibacy.
Suffice to say, he is still a well-loved television host, most known for “Match of the Day” on BBC. Gary enjoys spending time with his children and has maintained a good relationship with both his ex-wives.
Social Media Presence
Michelle Cockayne is another one of those people who are not active on social media and so didn’t come across any of her authentic social media handles. Michelle Cockayne isn’t very active on social media, so we could not find any authentic social media handles of hers.
She prefers to keep her personal life private and away from the public eye. You won’t find her on platforms like Instagram or Twitter.
Gary Lineker is quite active on social media, especially on platforms like Twitter (now X) and Instagram. He has millions of followers and often shares his thoughts on football, politics, and social issues. He has 1.2 million followers on Instagram (@garylineker) and 8.8 million followers on X (@garylineker). He has 129k followers on Facebook (@officialgarylineker). Gary’s tweets have sometimes sparked controversy. but he continues to be vocal about his opinions. He uses his platform to engage with fans and keep them updated on his activities and views.
Michelle Cockayne Net Worth
As of December 2024, Michelle Cockayne net worth is estimated to be around $1.5 million. She has earned this through her successful career as a model, television presenter, and entrepreneur.
Final Words
Michelle Cockayne’s journey from being a supportive wife to Gary Lineker to raising their four sons reflects her strength and resilience. While she values her privacy, her role as a mother and her past career achievements make her story inspiring. Her low-profile life highlights the importance of family and personal growth.
