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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

... to think Gary Lineker is odd?

65 replies

KatherineSwynford1403 · 25/07/2023 13:33

Or more correctly his relationship with his second ex-wife is odd? They split and divorced years ago yet he's on holiday with her. They never had children together but she has a (now adult) child with her first husband and one with her second to whom she's still married, happily I understand (as much as I can understand from the papers).

Lineker says they speak three times a day and text all the time. If this was happening to any Mumsnetters they'd be on here complaining about it and rightly so.

What does Danielle Bux's husband think about this I wonder and how does he put up with it?

It's all most strange.

OP posts:
IcedPurple · 25/07/2023 16:42

CurlewKate · 25/07/2023 16:36

<whispers> I reckon the problem with Lineker is that he's a bit of a Leftie.

Is he though?

I consider myself pretty left wing and I still find Gary Lineker a bit smarmy and smug.

soberfabulous · 25/07/2023 16:41

He was a massive sex pest when I had the misfortune of working with him in the 2000's.

I doubt he's changed his ways.

CurlewKate · 25/07/2023 16:36

<whispers> I reckon the problem with Lineker is that he's a bit of a Leftie.

ManateeFair · 25/07/2023 16:08

I don't think it's odd at all. Everyone's different.

Even if I did think it was odd, I wouldn't really care because I'm just not interested in his relationships. He was an incredible footballer and I think he's a very good sports presenter.

I've met him a couple of times (once when I was a teenager and he was still a footballer, and once many years later when I was working in TV) and he was very nice on both occasions. Definitely one of the easiest celebs I've ever worked with and honestly, the opposite of smarmy. He was really good-humoured, polite and quite funny.

I don't really care if he's had affairs because people's marriages are none of my business. I don't think he's ever claimed to be the world's best husband, though, has he? Or said anything about why he and his first wife got divorced. I think it's very much the media who decided to present him as Mr Wholesome, which started when he was a footballer because, famously, he was never booked. I don't think he has to live up to an image that he never asked for in the first place.

Mysterian · 25/07/2023 15:45

Maybe they just realised they were more friends than lovers. Have you tried talking to him about it?

SallyWD · 25/07/2023 15:40

CurlewKate · 25/07/2023 14:46

I can't remember any issues when he was young-apart from their first child having cancer. I have no idea what a reputation for smarminess means-he seems a nice guy who has an excellent relationship with his boys, -and with his ex wives. Which are surely good things? He uses his position to be outspoken politically, which I admire. Men and women are allowed to be friends.And threesomes are a "thing." Who knows?

Exactly. What exactly has he done that's so terrible? Had affairs? His kids seem to adore him.

KatherineSwynford1403 · 25/07/2023 15:38

mayorofcasterbridge · 25/07/2023 15:11

It'll be all them crisps... 🙄

God knows what's in the prawn cocktail flavour.

OP posts:
mayorofcasterbridge · 25/07/2023 15:11

It'll be all them crisps... 🙄

KatherineSwynford1403 · 25/07/2023 15:08

MrsMitford3 · 25/07/2023 15:03

100%. And I agree with a PP who was wondering how on earth he gets away with it.

And you forgot smarmy!

I don't know anything about his past or skeletons or being dodgy but I've always found him smug and off-putting since he retired from football. I'm not really old enough to remember him on the pitch so I only know him from media work and what I've seen of him on TV.

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MrsMitford3 · 25/07/2023 15:03

WeetabixTowels · 25/07/2023 14:35

Gary Lineker is a hideous, vile human and a hypocrite of the highest order. The skeletons in his closet would have you scraping you chin off the floor. I can’t help but think a man as dodgy as him has dodgy reasons for having this relationship with his ex

100%. And I agree with a PP who was wondering how on earth he gets away with it.

And you forgot smarmy!

KatherineSwynford1403 · 25/07/2023 15:01

MasterBeth · 25/07/2023 14:37

I cannot begin to care about or hope to judge the private lives of people I - and probably none of you - will never know.

If it was happening to a Mumnetter asking for advice, that's one thing. As it is happening to private adult individuals, I would just mind my own fucking business. What a dreadful thread of gossipy nonsense.

I think I am as entitled to start a thread on anything I like, as you are entitled to choose to ignore those that you don't want to become involved in. There is always a Report button if you feel it is inappropriate.

OP posts:
CurlewKate · 25/07/2023 14:46

I can't remember any issues when he was young-apart from their first child having cancer. I have no idea what a reputation for smarminess means-he seems a nice guy who has an excellent relationship with his boys, -and with his ex wives. Which are surely good things? He uses his position to be outspoken politically, which I admire. Men and women are allowed to be friends.And threesomes are a "thing." Who knows?

LakeTiticaca · 25/07/2023 14:43

Anything that keeps Gary Lineker from his preaching at the rest of us is fine by me

KatherineSwynford1403 · 25/07/2023 14:41

cryinglaughing · 25/07/2023 14:01

Her 2nd husband was Lineker, they didn't have a child.

I meant 3rd sorry.

OP posts:
MasterBeth · 25/07/2023 14:37

I cannot begin to care about or hope to judge the private lives of people I - and probably none of you - will never know.

If it was happening to a Mumnetter asking for advice, that's one thing. As it is happening to private adult individuals, I would just mind my own fucking business. What a dreadful thread of gossipy nonsense.

WeetabixTowels · 25/07/2023 14:36

TypicalCoach · 25/07/2023 14:01

I wouldn't say odd but more lucky he has his reputation intact and laughable to consider him a man with morals.

Was an awful womaniser and cheating on his first wife and yiung children throughout the 90's up to his divorce but somehow it never stuck.

Think sir Alex Ferguson hinted at it one tome.when Linekar criticised him for issues he was having. with the media

Joey Barton has too - I do wish that the revelations would come out. The hero worshipping is tedious

WeetabixTowels · 25/07/2023 14:35

Gary Lineker is a hideous, vile human and a hypocrite of the highest order. The skeletons in his closet would have you scraping you chin off the floor. I can’t help but think a man as dodgy as him has dodgy reasons for having this relationship with his ex

Ballsacks · 25/07/2023 14:34

Gary obvs didn't want another child and she did so looks like it all works for them

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 25/07/2023 14:33

Sounds to be like this thing called 'being friends', which mumsnet seems to be totally incapable of grasping is a thing that grown up men and women can do without wanting to shag each other senseless behind their spouses' backs.

Radical, but there you go.

HedgehogB · 25/07/2023 14:31

JeandeServiette · 25/07/2023 14:07

I can actually imagine my DH and my ex on holiday together, which must be fairly unusual in itself. What I can't imagine is wanting to be there. Grin

This! My DH and my exH are the best of friends. This has grown over the 14 years I have been with DH. They chat, ex now works for DH, they ride out on their motorbikes. This doesn’t include me, I’m fine with it and it’s lovely for DS whose dad is exH . Ex’s GF is lovely, sometimes joins them on bike trips although I don’t go. She’s better suited to him than I ever was. No one is threatened or silly about it. It’s called being a grown up. I doubt they ever discuss me or even give me a thought when chatting.

fancifulmanciful · 25/07/2023 14:30

My dad and mum are friends, they speak and hang out without me but they've not been together for 39 years. Yes they have me, but my dad is also good friends with his ex and her bloke and babysits their kids, but he is a very odd man.

IcedPurple · 25/07/2023 14:29

TypicalCoach · 25/07/2023 14:01

I wouldn't say odd but more lucky he has his reputation intact and laughable to consider him a man with morals.

Was an awful womaniser and cheating on his first wife and yiung children throughout the 90's up to his divorce but somehow it never stuck.

Think sir Alex Ferguson hinted at it one tome.when Linekar criticised him for issues he was having. with the media

Gary Lineker also has a reputation for smarminess so yes, strange that he gets away with the 'nice guy' image.

He does have 4 sons from his previous marriage, so I can imagine he wouldn't have wanted more kids in his 40s or 50s. That could be the reason for the split, but remaining such close friends seems odd given that she's been married for years to someone else.

Ethelwulf · 25/07/2023 14:28

Define "odd". Having trouble? Yeh, me too. Now define "normal". Even more of a problem.

StaunchMomma · 25/07/2023 14:26

Some people divorce due to circumstances they can't control and don't feel the need to hate each other.

If they both wanted different things then there's no need for animosity.

My Mum & Dad remain friends after divorcing (married 20 years). It makes life so much easier for me.

RitzyMcFitzy · 25/07/2023 14:26

I'd feel suffocated with a current partner phoning me three times a day and messaging me multiple times too, never mind an ex