Jamie Redknapp shared a rare personal insight into the ups and downs of having a blended family, following his split from singer Louise Redknapp.
Jamie Redknapp has spoken candidly about life with his blended family in a rare interview. The football pundit and Swedish model Frida Andersson married and welcomed their first child together, a son named Raphael, in 2021.
Jamie’s relationship with Frida followed his high-profile split from ex-wife Louise Redknapp. The former couple, who share sons Charley, 21, and Beau, 16, ended their 19-year marriage in 2017. While Louise has been open about the breakup, Jamie has largely stayed private about it.
In a recent podcast, the 52-year-old offered insight into the challenges and joys of raising a blended family. He also praised his wife, calling her “a diamond” and describing her as “fiercely competitive.”
Before meeting Jamie, Frida Andersson was married to hedge fund manager Jonathan Lourie, with whom she has four children.
Together, Jamie and Frida now manage a busy household with seven children, though Jamie admits it hasn’t always been straightforward. He explained that since adjusting to the new family dynamic, their son Raphael has become “the glue for everybody.”
Speaking on The Romesh Ranganathan Show, he said: “We’ve got seven kids between us. We’ve got a lot of kids, a lot of moving parts. And it’s not always easy, and I’m sure everyone who has done the same you know, the modern term is to blend a family it’s never going to be that simple, but I like to think we’ve done it pretty well.”
Jamie Redknapp described his son Raphael as “definitely the glue for everybody because you can’t not love him, he’s amazing, he’s hilarious.”
He reflected on integrating his older sons, saying: “So with Charley, once he sort of got over that — and I got it, I wouldn’t be disrespectful as he had his own individual feelings — but Beau was a little bit easier, he was a bit younger at the time. But I think he [Charley] knew how much I loved Frida, so he was totally fine with it in the end.”
On parenting, Jamie revealed that much of his approach comes from his own parents, Harry and Sandra Redknapp. “You want to be their best mate, but you’ve also got to be tough with them like my dad was with me,” he explained. “He was very, very honest, and in terms of my relationship with him, it’s as good now as it’s ever been.”
Meanwhile, Louise Redknapp, who rose to fame with the girl group Eternal, has been in a relationship with Drew Michael for the past two years.
Speaking candidly about their romance to The Sun, she said: “I was very guarded and scared. But I’m really enjoying having special times with someone. He’s a great guy and super-kind.”
Asked about the possibility of marriage, Louise clarified that it isn’t on the cards for the couple at the moment.