Gary & his ex...what IS going on?
MYSTERY OF £1.75M BBC STAR AND HIS EX-WIFE
GARY Lineker clearly meant it when he said he and Danielle Bux would remain “very close” after their divorce. Because 18 months on, here he is by her side yet again – as she prepares to give birth to another man’s child.
A source close to Danielle says they are “almost like family” but she is “still 100% with” dad-to-be Nate Greenwald.
And though Gary, 56, and Danielle, 38, have repeatedly laughed off rumours that they have rekindled their relationship, the speculation continues.
The former couple, who refer to each other as “besties”, have enjoyed holidays together and were even said to have moved in together since their seven-year marriage came to a very amicable end.
Danielle was last pictured with Los Angeles entertainment lawyer Nate, 41, seven weeks ago – shortly after she was pictured wearing a diamond ring on her left hand, leading to speculation that they were engaged.
But since then she has spent an increasing amount of time with Gary.
This week they were pictured enjoying an ice-cream near her home in LA.
The source says: “He’s just on holiday. He’ll be back when he returns for work on Match of the Day.
“Gary and Danielle kept their split civil from the very start and have always been adamant they’d remain close friends.
“Over the past few months they’ve constantly been together – almost like family again.
“But Danielle is still 100% with Nate, it’s all good between them and they’re looking forward to welcoming their baby together.”
DANIELLE posted it was “time to pop” as she celebrated her baby shower in the US, where she announced she was having a daughter.
It came weeks after she had celebrated in the UK.
And the former couple’s social media accounts reveal they both spent time in New York together just after her birthday last month.
Gary called her his “bestie birthday girl” on Instagram, alongside a photo of them together during their marriage.
In November, Danielle posted a similar image of the couple in happier times, writing: “Happy birthday to my Mr Nice Guy.”
But the source adds: “It makes you laugh when people speculate she might be back with Gary. But it’s also so dangerous because she’s just about to have a baby. “They will always be best friends. People want to believe they’re back together, but they will be friends until their dying day.” The couple, who split in 2015 but kept their separation a secret for a year, were reportedly pulled apart by Danielle’s desire to expand their family, and Gary’s reluctance to have any more children. Announcing their split, Gary said the couple would “remain very close and the
greatest of friends”, while Danielle said: “We’ve shared the most incredible years that I will always cherish.”
Gary – whose BBC pay was last week revealed to be almost £2million – has sons George, 24, Harry, 22, Tobias, 20, and Angus, 18, from his 20-year marriage to Michelle Cockayne, which ended in 2006.
He was said to be worth around £20million when he split from Danielle, yet they spent just £400 on the divorce at Southampton County
In the last few months they’ve been together constantly SOURCE CLOSE TO DANIELLE ON FRIENDSHIP
Court, reportedly filling out the forms together instead of using expensive divorce lawyers.
They reportedly reached an “agreeable” financial settlement.
In April last year, Gary spoke of the financial implications of a messy divorce, saying: “Just generally speaking, it’s very easy to get married and very difficult to get divorced.
“We know lawyers try to manipulate it to make you spend more money and basically end up hating each other. I think there should be a math- ematical equation that goes straight to the courts and they sort it out.”
He said that he and Danielle were fortunate enough to “get on brilliantly”, adding: “We have a lovely relationship and that’s how we are. And that’s genuine.”
Just a fortnight after their divorce was finalised, Gary and Danielle were pictured together in LA where she had relocated months previously, having a cosy dinner together in Beverly Hills.
Even after Danielle moved on with her new LA neighbour Nate in April last year, she still remained incredibly close to Gary.
They were pictured together in Malibu in June and on holiday in Ibiza the following month. Gary was also pictured with his arm draped around his former flame’s shoulders on an outing in Notting Hill, West London.
Reports were “fabricated nonsense”, said Gary, dogged at the time by rumours of a reconciliation. He added: “Danielle and I remain close friends.
“Our kids do too, but we’re not back together. We’re grown-ups.”
In an interview at the end of last year, Gary revealed Danielle was still even choosing his clothes for him. “She has a good eye,” he said.
In March this year – on Mother’s Day, when Danielle announced that she was expecting Nate’s baby – Gary said that he was “thrilled” for his ex-wife in one of two public messages of congratulations.
Hours after she confirmed news of her pregnancy on Instagram with an image of her bump, Danielle was pictured having dinner with her 15-year-old daughter Ella, friends Jackie St Clair and Carl Michaelson – and, of course, Gary.
A month later, reports claimed Danielle had moved back into Gary’s London home – which the couple immediately denied.
Spokesmen for Gary and Danielle would not comment yesterday.