Inside Gary Lineker's 17-year feud with estranged 'party animal' younger brother Wayne

They shared the same upbringing, but and appear to be chalk and cheese - and their differences have allegedly resulted in a 17-year rift.

The brothers, who grew up together in Leicester, have reportedly seen their once close bond take a battering over the years. claims their feud dates right back to 2008, and blames Gary's ex-wife for the distance that has sadly grown between them.

Meanwhile, it's previously been alleged that Wayne's "party animal" lifestyle drove a wedge between the two siblings, who have chosen markedly different paths in life.

Former professional footballer Gary, 64, went on to become a top goal scorer for the England squad before rising to become a star pundit on Match of the Day.

Business-minded younger brother Wayne kickstarted his career on a fruit and veg stall, before building his nightlife empire. Despite their differences, the pair were once close, meeting up twice a week for a game of , and enjoying regular phone chats. But then everything changed.

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Admitting their polarity, Wayne, now 62, previously said: "Gary is a very intelligent guy in a general knowledge kind of way, whereas I'm not. I'm savvy and streetwise."

Wayne claimed they drifted apart when Gary started seeing Danielle Bux in 2008, whom he married the following year, and went on to divorce in 2016. "In my opinion, Danielle cost me my relationship with my brother. Sadly, Gary is no longer a part of my life," Wayne told in April 2015.

Wayne claimed he was baffled when their weekly phone conversations and home visits came to an abrupt end. The Ibiza playboy couldn't understand why their contact had fizzled out within a year, but he put the blame on an awkward first meeting with Danielle.

"They came to Ibiza in August 2008 and it was really awkward. I didn't spark with Danielle and our relationship was cold," said Wayne. He claimed Danielle stayed in her room for the whole of the first day then they didn't speak at all during a night out the next evening.

Not wanting to upset his brother, Wayne didn't question Gary about the frostiness, but the holiday would be the last time he ever spoke to Danielle. Wayne had been the best man at Gary's first wedding to ex-wife Michelle Cockayne in 1986, but he didn't even attend his second set of nuptials.

The club owner refused to attend because he was told his then-girlfriend, model Ana Tanaka, was not invited just months before the big day. "He was my brother, and he was telling me that I couldn't bring my girlfriend of a year and a half to his wedding. She was a lovely, polite girl, and not a five-minute girlfriend," argued Wayne.

Wayne claimed his attempts to reconcile their brotherly bond failed, and an awkward call on Gary's 50th birthday lasted less than a minute. Wayne admitted he had given up, adding: "I would love nothing more than him to call me up tomorrow and ask to go to lunch to speak about it, but I don't think it's going to happen."

Offering Gary's alleged perspective on things in a 2015 interview with the Mail, Wayne's old pal and former PR man, Neil Deal, claimed: "Gary had a bit of a problem with Wayne's party lifestyle.

"He and his brother used to get along well enough, but they were worlds apart. And as Gary became more famous in sport and TV, Wayne seemed to become more of a party animal to compensate, and they just grew apart."

Fast-forward to August 2017, and the brothers had slowly started to heal their rift. "We talk now. We are not how we were years and years ago, but we speak more now," Wayne told The Sunday .

"We are slowly getting there. It's important. He's my brother. We were so close. We used to play golf twice a week, go to each other’s houses and speak every day on the phone." While most people were shocked that Gary remained close friends with Danielle after they split up, it didn't come as a surprise to his brother.

"I think it is a Lineker thing," said Wayne in 2017, who claimed the decision to stay pals with an ex "runs in the family". "I keep in touch with all my exes. Why have you got to hate each other? It depends what is going on behind the scenes, but if you can keep it together, that is fantastic."

Wayne has always been very close with Gary's sons, George, Harry, Angus and Tobias, who regularly visit him in Ibiza and keep in contact with him despite the rift between the brothers. "All four come here. They always say ‘If Carlsberg made uncles, then I’m the man’. They get treated amazingly. George comes three times a year," revealed Wayne.

"He is very social. All the boys are fantastic, they are all mad and love a drink, love a girl, and there is nothing wrong with that. Whereas my boys, believe it or not… Dwayne, my eldest, is like Gary. He is the father of our relationship, not me. My son ends up looking after me. I’ll be sitting on the streets of San Antonio at 7am, acting an idiot, and he will come and say, ‘Dad, what are you doing?’"

While Gary rarely gets involved in Wayne's antics, he did make a cheeky dig at his brother when he appeared on . Wayne made an explosive debut on the reality TV show when the cast headed to Marbella back in 2013.

It wasn't long before Wayne set his sights on one of the TOWIE girls - and clearly had a soft spot for Lauren Pope. But his dreams of a romantic date were ruined when Lauren brought best pal Chloe Sims along and they got into a furious row.

"I thought he was an a***hole the first time I met him, and now I know he's definitely an a***hole," fumed Chloe as she stormed off from dinner. Wayne was branded 'creepy' by furious TOWIE viewers, and even Gary expressed his surprise on .

"There’s a fella on #TOWIE who looks remarkably like @waynelineker," joked Gary. He then cheekily added: "Sure it’s not though, even he's not that daft."

Despite their differences, Wayne has always been "immensely proud" of his brother. When Gary was revealed as the second-highest paid star at the in August 2017, earning £1,750,000-£1,799,999 a year, Wayne said his brother deserved it.

Admitting he is Gary's "biggest fan", Wayne said: "He is very good at presenting now. I remember watching him when he first started, he was absolutely rubbish.

"He was so nervous doing Match of the Day, but within six months he got his confidence sorted. When he started he had to replace Des Lynam, Des was fantastic in his day, he was the man. Trying to follow that is really difficult, but Gary pulled it off. Within two years, he was established, and now he is the main man.

"There is probably no one better. He works hard and is a very intelligent man. He has always been protective of his image, which has paid off over the years. He is a very respected man and has done well."

However, Wayne joked that Gary was "damaging the family reputation" following a revealing interview in which the former footballer claimed he's not a huge fan of sex. Gary made the headlines after discussing his private life with ex-wife Danielle and revealing he had enjoyed the occasional date since becoming single again.

Cheeky Wayne couldn't resist poking fun at his brother, tweeting: "Come on bro. Really had enough now of you damaging the family reputation." It seems they are getting close again now as Wayne posted a heartwarming tribute to his brother on his 60th birthday in November 2020, saying: "I will always be proud of you. Love you lots."

And this August, Wayne poked fun at their different journeys. Sharing a black and white throwback photo of the young brothers, he wrote: "Same mum, same dad, just different journeys…Match of the day to snatch or the day [laughing face emoji]. But I will always be his biggest fan".

The Mirror has reached out to Gary Lineker and Wayne Lineker's representatives for comment.

Amol Rajan Interviews: Gary Lineker airs this evening (April 22) on BBC Two, at 7pm

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