Although many have come to talk about her only in reference to her former husband, there are so many other interesting things about her.
Who is Michelle Cockayne?
Formerly referred to as Michelle Lineker, Michelle Cockayne was born on May 13, 1966. Her parents are Roger Cockayne and Julia Cockayne. There is no information as regards her family members, siblings, or even her childhood and education.
However, at the time when she got married, it was reported that she was working as a beauty therapist.
Michelle Cockayne Was Gary Linker Got Married In Their 20s
It was in July 1986 that the beautiful pair got married in a simple event at St Mary Magdalene’s Parish Church in Knighton, Leicestershire. When they got married, Michelle Cockayne was 21 years old while her former husband was 25 years old.
Although information regarding how they met was never revealed, it is known that they remained married for the next 20 years before the marriage ended in 2006. Before then, they were blessed with four sons.
Michelle Lineker And Gary’s Children
As stated, before the marriage came to an end, Michelle and Gary had four kids between them. George Lineker is the oldest of the four brothers. He was born in 1992 and when he was little, he suffered from Leukemia. Although his parents thought they would lose him, he survived the scare. He is now an entrepreneur.
Harry Lineker is the second son. He was born in 1994. A photographer and filmmaker, he once almost lost his life when he was covering a football match in Africa in 2019 after a riot broke out in a World Cup qualifier between Sierra Leone and Liberia. During the sad event which happened in Sierra Leone, Harry’s shirt was torn but he still came out unhurt.
Tobias Lineker is the third son of Michelle Cockayne and Gary Lineker. He was born in 1996 and initially showed signs that he would be the one to take after his father as a footballer, but the midfielder did not pursue his talent to a professional level. He has managed to be in the news for a number of reasons including his relationship with Love Island champ Amber Davies.
Angus Lineker is the youngest member of the family but that doesn’t mean he is the least accomplished. Born in 1998, Angus is a businessman. He is a graduate of the London School of Wealth Management from where he obtained a Diploma in Education in 2020. He attended Oxford Brooks University from 2017 to 2020 and graduated with a Bachelors’s degree in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services. From 2011 to 2016, he attended Millfield School, and before then, he went to Woodcote House School from 2006 to 2011.
Their Marriage Ended Because Of ‘Unreasonable Behavior’

All through his career and even after, Gary Lineker had maintained the posture of a nice guy who stayed out of trouble. Hence, it came as a surprise to many when it emerged in 2006 that his marriage to his wife of 20 years was coming to an end. Michelle filed for a divorce from her former football star husband, stating that his behavior was the reason why she wanted the marriage to end.
According to court papers, she suffered stress and anxiety because of the behavior of her husband at the time. The divorce was finalized by District Judge Caroline Reid after a proceeding that was said to have lasted less than 2 minutes. The former footballer did not oppose her request to end the marriage or to the living arrangements for their kids as well as the different payments he was requested to make.
Before the divorce, Michelle had moved out of their £2m (€2.93m) mansion in Sunningdale, Berkshire. However, she was later said to have returned to the home even though they were not living together.
See Also: Phyllis Minkoff Is Maury Povich’s Ex-Wife: Marriage, Divorce, 5 Facts
Michelle Has Not Married Again Since The Divorce
Close to 20 years since their marriage had ended, Michelle Cockayne is still yet to get married a second time. She was linked to a mystery man in 2020 after they were photographed having a great time at the beach together.
On the other hand, Gary has since tied the knot for a second time, even though the marriage was not one that lasted a very long time. He got married to actress and model, Danielle Lineker in 2009. The marriage lasted until 2016 when it came to an end. Nonetheless, they still maintain a great relationship.
According to reports, the reason why the marriage ended was that the former footballer was not ready to have any more kids while Danielle who is a mother of one from a previous relationship wanted to have more kids.