England cricket legend Stuart Broad has had to deal with plenty of turmoil in his private life
Stuart Broad and Mollie King have been together, on and off, for a over a decade(Image: PA)
Stuart Broad will undoubtedly go down as one of English cricket’s finest players.
Known for his fierce bowling, extraordinary longevity and ability to deliver game-changing moments, the 39-year-old will surely be remembered among the sport’s most intimidating bowlers.
While Broad’s on-field feats have drawn global headlines, his private life has often been equally fascinating. His relationship with The Saturdays singer Mollie King caught public attention, as has his venture into pub ownership.
Off the field, Broad’s life has also included hardship, sorrow, and personal struggles. Here, Daily Star Sport takes a closer look at the ups and downs that have shaped his experiences outside cricket.
Split from Mollie King
Broad started dating King in 2012, though their romance ended within a year. They later reunited, got engaged and now have two children – but their relationship nearly never got off the ground.
Stuart and Mollie first got together in 2012, but split up in 2013(Image: mollieking/Instagram)
Broad admitted that balancing his demanding cricket career with King’s busy schedule made the relationship very difficult. “Typical of young professionals, we were all over the place,” he wrote in his 2023 autobiography, Broadly Speaking.
“In early 2013 I flew off to India for some one-dayers and then on to New Zealand. Mollie went to film in Los Angeles, and despite really enjoying each other’s company, being at opposite ends of the world didn’t help us stay in touch.
“It is fair to say we were two people putting their careers first at that stage in our lives. I would never have guessed how big an impact she would have later on mine.”
In 2019, they tried again, and a pivotal trip to Paris helped them reconnect. Two years later, they got engaged. To mark the occasion, Mollie posted photos of the couple on Instagram, proudly displaying her sparkling diamond engagement ring.
They rekindled their romance in 2019 and got engaged two years later(Image: Instagram)
She captioned the post: “A thousand times yes! I still can’t believe it, the most magical start to the new year! I can’t wait to spend all my years with you @stuartbroad.”
Their first daughter, Annabelle, was born in 2022, and their second daughter, Liliana, arrived in January 2025.
Family tragedy
In 2010, Broad’s family suffered a tragic loss when his stepmother, Miche, took her own life. She had recently been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, a condition that attacks the nervous system.
The day before her death, the family had gathered for a barbecue and Stuart remembered how “happy and peaceful” she seemed, noting that “she kept scrawling jokes and comments to amuse us.”
Unbeknownst to the family, that gathering was Miche’s farewell before she took a lethal dose of Diazepam and Tramadol.
Stuart Broad retired from cricket in 2023(Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Reflecting on the tragedy, Stuart said: “It was a huge shock to discover that the real reason she seemed at peace was that she was about to take her own life. But I am comforted by the fact that she died on her terms because she didn’t want to suffer any longer.”
Pub fire
In 2016, Broad and fellow cricketer Harry Gurney launched The Cat and Wickets Pub company in the East Midlands. The company took over multiple pubs, including The Tap and Run in Upper Broughton, Nottinghamshire, which was destroyed by a fire in 2022.
Thankfully, no one was hurt, though the building was burned down to its shell. It reopened a year later at a cost of £1.3million, with Broad and Gurney humorously calling it the pub’s “second innings.”
Their pub portfolio also includes The Griffin Inn in Swithland, Leicestershire, and The Long Hop in Burton upon Trent.
