Gary Lineker has rarely been spotted going out with women since his second marriage ended eight years ago – and he has even confessed that he enjoys spending time on his own.
But the former England striker, 63, appears to be enjoying female company once again as he was spotted having dinner with a woman who bears a striking resemblance to his ex-wife, Danielle Bux.
Following the breakdown of his marriages to his first wife, Michelle Cockayne, and his second, Ms Bux, the Match of The Day presenter has been growing close to visual artist Leila Bartell.
The pair were spotted enjoying a night out at the popular Dorian restaurant in Notting Hill, west London, where Ms Bartell’s art studio is based.
Although drawn to art from an early age, Ms Bartell put her creative goals on hold at first to pursue a law degree. She returned to art when she was older and realised it was her ‘true passion’.
After growing up in both the Middle East and Europe, Ms Bartell, thought to be in her mid-40s, now describes herself as a ‘London-based painter and film director’.
Although she lives in the capital, Ms Bartell often shares photos of trips abroad to her 27,000 followers on Instagram.
This year alone, she has enjoyed trips to Switzerland, Menorca, Dubai, Barbados – as as well as returning to Los Angeles where keen celebrity fans will remember she spent a lot of time with Johnny Depp’s former wife, Amber Heard.
In 2017, the pair spent a lot of time together in California and were seen dining together in LA following Ms Heard’s explosive split from Depp.
Ms Bartell has previously revealed that she first got into film directing by accident, having started out in art and law.
In an interview with YG TV in 2018, Ms Bartell revealed: ‘I’ve always been into a visual arts. As a kid, I acted in the theatre. I suppose it was just a natural path to me properly go into directing but it honestly happened by chance.’
She explained: ‘I heard about modern day slavery through a friend of mine and started researching the subject. I wrote a story, it was a script, that I sent to a producer friend of mine.
‘About five minutes later, she came back to me and said ‘I want to do it’. I said ‘but who is going to direct it? And she said ‘you will’. And I did, and I really enjoyed the whole process of it.’
Ms Bartell was spotted leaving the Dorian restaurant with Lineker on Wednesday night, sharing an embrace after they left at around 10pm.
Lineker is rarely seen out with women and has not had a relationship since he divorced Ms Bux, a model and actress who was 18 years his junior, in 2016.
His only other notable relationship was his first marriage, to beautician Michelle Cockayne, the mother of his four sons: George, Harry, Tobias and Angus.
Discussing his relationship status in 2021, Lineker admitted to the Times: ‘I like being on my own. I know it sounds a bit mad.
‘I have lots of company. I’ve got lots of friends and I’ve also got my boys who come around a lot and I cook for them. I don’t feel lonely. I have the odd date here and there, but nothing, not in terms of a long relationship.
‘I’ve been married most of my adult life. Two really good marriages, I’m friends with both.’
Lineker also attended Ms Bartell’s debut solo show with J Nicholls Projects on October 10 last year. Meanwhile, in May, he was also spotted enjoying an evening with Ms Bartell and mutual friend Jemina Khan at Dorian again.
The west London bistro is a favourite haunt of A-list celebrities including Victoria Beckham.
Rumours were swirling then that Ms Khan and Lineker may have become an item. A year earlier, he attended her 50th birthday at her country estate, Kiddington Hall in Oxfordshire.
Ms Khan was nowhere to be seen this week when her friends dined at the Michelin star restaurant, though she had joined Ms Bartell last week at her art exhibition at the Daniel Katz gallery in London’s Mayfair.
Ms Bartell has previously opened up about her childhood, spending time in Europe and the Middle East before moving to London which she says ‘feels like home’.
She told YG TV: ‘I grew up in a very European way to be honest. I spent most of my time with my mother in Europe, before that even in the Middle East we were part of an international community so I never felt very local anyway.’
In a more recent interview with The Lab Mag last July, she revealed: ‘As a child, I had the opportunity to experience life in both the Middle East and Europe, which I believe shaped my dual identity and broadened my horizons from a young age.
‘Even as a child, I was always drawn to art and expressing myself creatively through drawing and painting. However, I put my artistic pursuits on hold to pursue a law degree.
‘It wasn’t until later in life that I returned to art and realised that it was my true passion. Now, I am a full-time artist and I feel grateful for the journey that has led me here.’
Lineker and his first wife, Ms Cockayne, divorced in 2006 after 20 years of marriage on the grounds of her husband’s ‘unreasonable behaviour’. Documents submitted to the court claiming that Lineker’s had caused her ‘stress and anxiety.’
Lineker and Ms Bux, 44, split amicably. They revealed that their decision to end their seven-year marriage because she wanted more children but he didn’t.
Speaking about his love life in 2020, Lineker said: ‘Yes, I’m very single, especially in lockdown. Even the sight of a female is very rare.
‘But I’ve never been on a dating app and cannot ever visualise that happening. I’ve had lots of people sliding into my DMs but it’s normally requests for plugging their book or their charity.’
Lineker declined to comment. Ms Bartell has been approached for comment.
