The name of Michelle Cockayne is not one that many people will claim not to know, most especially among the followers of English football. She is the former wife of an ex-professional football player, Gary Lineker who is now a sports broadcaster. The couple had a very great marriage that lasted from 1986 until 2006 when they went their separate ways in a divorce.
Even after their marriage came to an end, Michelle has still remained a popular face thanks to her association with her former husband and the children they share.
Biography of Michelle Cockayne
It was on May 13 1966 that Michelle Cockayne was born to her parents, Roger Cockayne and Julia Cockayne. While there is not so much information available about her childhood, it is known that she was also brought up alongside her siblings whose identities have not been revealed.
While the exact place where she was born remains a mystery, she was raised in the UK. More so, details about her education and early life goals have all remained unknown.
Her Marriage To Gary Lineker
The love story between Michelle and Gary was an inspirational one before it came to a sad end. The pair met when they were still in their teenage years. Michelle was only 14 years old at the time while the footballer was 18. He did not ask her out on a date until three years later when she was 17 and he was 21.
According to Gary, he could not tell if she was very much keen on him, but he was keen on her and he loved her. After the date, they started seeing each other more, and that was how their relationship started.
In 1986, when Gary was 26 years old and Michelle Cockayne was 23, the pair got married in a very simple ceremony. The wedding took place at St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Knighton, in Leicester.
The Pair Was Blessed With Four Kids
Even though the marriage did not last forever, it was one that still had many blessings, the biggest of which was the birth of their sons. Michelle Cockayne and Gary Lineker had four sons together; George, Harry, Tobias, and Angus. It gets interesting to know that none of the sons has followed in the footsteps of their father.
George Lineker
Born in 1992, George is the oldest son of the couple. He is a graduate of Charterhouse School and now has a career as a businessman. He is the founder of Flipper and YourBusinessNumber.
George is considered to be a miracle child as he was diagnosed with leukemia when he was a child. On three different occasions, doctors told his parents that he was not going to survive the nights, but he beat the odds. He has often been regarded as someone who loves partying hard.
Harry Lineker
The second child of the couple is Harry. He was born in 1994 and shares a great resemblance with his father. Harry works as a filmmaker. He came close to losing his life when he was filming a World Cup qualifier segment in Sierra Leone. A riot broke out after Liberia defeated Sierra Leone’ and Harry almost became a victim of the madness.
Tobias Lineker
In 1996, Michelle and her then-husband, had their third child, Tobias Lineker. He attended Oxford Brookes University but before then, he almost followed the footballing path of his father when he was a young teenager as he was sent to Chelsea’s Football Academy. As regards his love life, it was once rumored that Tobias was in a relationship with Love Island’s Amber Davies.
Angus Lineker
Angus Lineker is the youngest member of the family. He was born in 1998 and like all his brothers, he also has a good social media following. He spends so much time with his parents and siblings.
As regards his education, Angus Woodcote House school and from there, he proceeded to Midfield School. Next, he went to Oxford Brookes University where he obtained a degree in Business Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services. Probably the most educated member of the family, he has a diploma in Education in Finance and Financial Management Services from the London School of Wealth Management. He got a distinction while there.
Careerwise, the member of the Sunningdale Golf Club worked as a waiter at Made By Bob for a few months and then he became a Business Development Manager at Secure Insure Group.
Why Michelle Cockayne Divorced Lineker
For many years, Gary was believed to be the Mr. Nice Guy of football as he managed to stay away from any form of controversies. However, the posture he maintained publicly developed some cracks in 2006 after it emerged that his marriage of 2 decades was coming to an end.
In April 2006, Michelle and the former England captain separated and she moved out of their home in Sunningdale, Berkshire. Although she later moved back, it didn’t mean their marriage was going to survive. This is as, by July of the same year, their marriage which lasted 20 years was dissolved in only 20 seconds at the High Court Family Division. The District Judge at the time, Caroline Reid accepted that the marriage should end legally.
Michelle Cockayne divorced her husband on the grounds of unreasonable behavior. She stated that during their marriage, his behavior left her stressed and with anxiety. Although she did not state the behavior, there were rumors that he was having affairs with different women.
Other Interesting Facts To Know About Her
1. She worked as a beauty therapist
The ageless looks of Michelle Cockayne is not something that came by accident. This is as even before she got married to her husband, Cockayne once worked as a beauty therapist. She did not throw this aspect of her career even after her marriage.
2. Michelle Cockayne did not agree to marry Lineker at first
Lineker revealed that when he first asked the former beauty therapist to get married to him, she refused. Not deterred, he continued trying to make her his wife but that did not work until after three years when she finally came around and agreed.
3. Her husband was married a second time
Since the end of their marriage more than a decade ago, Michelle has not made any public attempt at getting married again. However, Gary got married a second time in 2009 when he tied the knot to the former model, Danielle Bux who was almost 20 years younger than him. The marriage only lasted 6 years before it ended in divorce in 2016.
4. The love life of Cockayne remains a mystery
The love life of Michelle is not something that she made public. The only time she was linked to someone was in 2021 when she vacationed with a mysterious man in Barbados. Nothing more has been revealed about her love life.
5. How rich is she?
The net worth of Michelle Cockayne is still under review. However, her former husband, Gary Lineker has a net worth that is estimated at $35 Million. He made his fortune from his career as a football player and sports broadcaster among other things. More so, he has had numerous endorsement deals that have also got him good numbers in his account.
Complete profile of Michelle Cockayne
| Michelle Cockayne | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Michelle Cockayne |
| Date of Birth | May 13 1966 |
| Age | 59 years |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
| Birth place | NA |
| Nationality | NA |
| Ethnicity | NA |
| Education | NA |
| Profession | Model and Showbiz |
| Father | Roger Cockayne |
| Mother | Julia Cockayne |
| Siblings | NA |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Spouse/Partner | Gary Lineker (m. 1986–2006) |
| Boyfriend | NA |
| Kids | George Lineker, Angus Lineker, Tobias Lineker, Harry Lineker |
| Estimated Net Worth: | $35 Million |
| Source of net worth | Modeling and Showbiz |
| Height | NA |
| Weight | NA |
| Hair color | Dark-brown |
| Eye color | NA |
| Social media |
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