Ex-Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has married his new wife at Cliveden House. This impressive venue was also used by Meghan Markle as she stayed there the night before her wedding to Prince Harry.
The footballer has been with his now-wife Donna for 17 months, and proposed to her at Glasgow’s plush Blythswood Square Hotel last August. But their relationship history goes way back.
Jermain, 39, told how he thinks his move to Scottish club, Rangers, was fate as it meant they came back into each other’s lives. Speaking exclusively to OK Magazine, he said: “I never planned to get married by a certain age, but because I’ve been focused on my career for the past 22 years, it’s always been go, go, go. I always knew at some stage I was going to meet the right one and at the back end of my career, I go to Glasgow, play for Rangers and meet my future wife.”
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The pair had met previously, however, as he reached out to the beauty while he was playing in the North East for Sunderland in 2016. He added: "We met years ago when I was playing for Sunderland and I messaged her on Instagram. I sent her DM. We had a general chit-chat but hadn’t spoken for ages.
“When I started playing for Rangers in 2019 I remembered Donna was from Glasgow and touched base with her again – I kept looking at her sexy pictures on Instagram. But we didn’t meet until January 2021 when Donna asked if I could give her a signed football shirt for a charity do.”
Donna, who owns her own natural skincare business revealed: “It took a couple of years because I was playing hard to get!” The 40-year-old has described their big day as a being 'like a movie' and has praised her new husband for being a good step-dad to her daughter Olivia, OK reports.
Jermain says he knew Donna was the one when he met her family. He said: “When she took me to her mum and dad’s house, just to see how she was with Olivia, and how she was with her mum, how close she was with her dad and her sister Charlene, just to see the love she gives her family and the love she gets back, it reminded me of the relationship I have with my family. When I saw that, and knowing how affectionate and loving she is anyway, that was it for me.”
While Donna added: “It was the same for me. I’m a big family person and seeing the way he loved his mum and sister – he goes above and beyond for them and always has. I connect with people on a mental level and with Jermain I connected with his mind more than anything else.”
Jermain also dedicated a part of his speech to 12-year-old daughter Olivia. Donna said: “Everyone keeps talking about how special Jermain’s speech was. They said it showed how much he appreciates me. The bit that got me was when he spoke about my daughter, who means the world to me. That made me feel extra-special. My daughter loves Jermain so much, he’s such a good stepdad. He’s amazing. I couldn’t have asked or wished for anything better than the way he treats Olivia.”
The couple jetted off for a romantic honeymoon in the Maldives. Jermain says. “When I’m like, ‘This is my wife, Donna,’ it’s still weird but amazing. I feel like a proper grown-up.”
While Donna admits, “It hasn’t sunk in yet. It still feels like a dream.”
Defoe had two spells at Sunderland during his playing career, first from 2015 to 2017 and then again when he returned for a short spell in January this year. The return was short-lived as he announced he was retiring from professional football in March.
For all the details, the latest OK! magazine is on sale now.
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