'Helped me through it' Gary Lineker's ex-wife on how star got her through family tragedy

express.co.uk:

Gary Lineker's ex-wife Danielle Bux has opened up about how the Match of The Day presenter helped her through a tough time at the start of their relationship.

In an unearthed interview, the Welsh actress, 42, spoke candidly about the beginning of her relationship with the sportsman, admitting that she struggled with being thrust into the spotlight.The couple met in 2007 after being set up on a blind date, a year after Gary, 61, and his first wife, Michelle Cockayne, divorced.Speaking candidly about the pressures the relationship brought, Danielle addressed being thrust into the spotlight as she started seeing the former footballer.She said: "That was really difficult actually and for a while I thought I might not be able to stay in the relationship because it was so much pressure."However, the mother-of-two added that at the time her brother was [removed 'also'] receiving medical treatment for spinal injuries after suffering a horrific accident which left him paralysed.Danielle explained: "At the time my brother was in Rookwood hospital he had an accident that had left him paralysed and the intrusion at that time was unbelievable."But the model went on to gush over her beau for supporting her, adding that his "calm" demeanour helped her through the situation.She continued: "Gary is great, he deals with it so well, he is unbelievably calm as he is used to it, so he has really helped me through it."It was very odd and very strange and I didn’t know if this is what I wanted for the rest of my life," she added to Style of City magazine in 2019.Danielle and Gary married in 2009 but split in 2016.However, the couple have remained good friends and frequently comment on each other's social media posts.The pair reportedly broke.