Gary Lineker says he couldn't imagine 'regularly sleeping with someone again' ten years on from his second divorce but adds he enjoys 'a lot of female company'

Gary Lineker has opened up on his love life and admits he is currently single ten years on from his second divorce.The former England player, 65, claims he tried dating four years ago, but prefers to be single.Discussing his relationship status he says, 'I'm single [for] quite a few years now. I dated for a while about three or four years ago and not since.'Appearing on the Begin Again podcast alongside Davina McCall, the stunned TV presenter told him she couldn't believe it, to which he responded, 'I have a lot of female company and companions and friends.'She quickly interjected to imply he had friends with benefits - a term for having casual sex with a friend - to which he shut down any talk of 'benefits'. He continued, 'I have a lot of female friends for company. I love female company.' Gary Lineker has opened up on his love life and admits he is currently single ten years on from his second divorce Discussing his relationship status he says, 'I'm single [for] quite a few years now. I dated for a while about three or four years ago and not since' (pictured with ex wife Danielle Bux in 2015)'I really do have a lot of close friends that I see fairly frequently.'Davina then pressed if the friends are his exes, to which he told her, 'a couple, but not a lot of them.'He dismissed the idea that they are still in love, saying, 'I don't think so. I think they suffer me. They put up with me.'The former BBC pundit was married to his first wife, Michelle Cockayne for 20 years and with whom he shares four sons.He and his second wife, Danielle Bux, went their separate ways in 2016 after six years of marriage, due to her wanting children of her own. He says they are still 'best mates' and see each other regularly.Lineker continued, 'I've just got so comfortable being on my own. In the sense I'm not sure I could imagine regularly sleeping with someone again or not that you have to, sharing a bed.'As you get older you tend to make a few more bathroom trips in the night and stuff like that.Insisting that he 'couldn't imagine going on dating apps, he said: 'I'm not ruling anything out. Who knows what might happen.' The former BBC pundit was married to his first wife, Michelle Cockayne for 20 years and with whom he shares four sons In 2024, Gary was also linked to Jemima Goldsmith after they were pictured enjoying a cosy dinner date together, but a source insisted they are 'just good friends'In June, Gary insisted he was 'done' with finding love after his two divorces.'I like being on my own. I've got so accustomed to it now and being slightly selfish, but unanswerable to anyone,' he admitted during a conversation on Louis Theroux's podcast.When asked if he is 'just alone in a big house' Gary added, it's 'me and a dog. But my boys are always around... I'm absolutely happy on my own.'When asked about romance, Gary was adamant, insisting: 'No, I think I'm done. I don’t know, you never know, but I just can't imagine actually living with someone again.'The ex England striker was then asked about 'physical needs' but joked 'you get to a certain age where it's so much effort', before quipping about 'a big blue pill'.'It might change, but you know, I love women's company. I've got a lot of friends that I go out to dinner with.' Gary's first wife Michelle, with whom he shares his four sons, George, 34, Harry, 32, Tobias, 30, and Angus, 28, filed for divorce in 2006.The former couple met when he was an 18-year-old rising star for Leicester City.During their union, Gary and Michelle enjoyed huge highs, as the footballer became one of the world's top strikers - earning a pay packet to match, but also faced deep lows, including when the couple's firstborn son, George, battled leukaemia at just eight weeks old and was given a survival rate of just '10 to 20 per cent'. After his first divorce Gary went on to marry Welsh actress and model Danielle at a ceremony in Italy in 2009.After seven years together they announced they were going their separate ways due to the former not wanting any more children but they remain on friendly terms and are regularly seen on dinner dates and holidays together. Danielle subsequently relocated to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career and went on to find love with Nate Greenwald, an Ivy League-educated lawyer with CAA.The model, already a parent to daughter Ella, 24, from a former relationship, welcomed her second daughter, Romy Wren, in August 2017.In 2024, Gary was also linked to Jemima Goldsmith after they were pictured enjoying a cosy dinner date together.A friend of Jemima said of the pairing between Lineker and Goldsmith: 'Jemima has known him for years and never known him to date anyone.'They aren’t a couple but they’ve been good friends for a long time now. He’s not interested in dating and hasn’t been for years.'Jemima, daughter of late financier Sir James Goldsmith, married cricket legend and former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan in 1995 before their divorce in 2004.They have two sons together - Sulaiman Isa, born in 1996, and Kasim, born three years later.She has since been in high-profile relationships with comedian Russell Brand and actor Hugh Grant.Lineker is said to have attended a 50th birthday party held by Jemima at her country home.