Best Magazine UK: Suddenly Single
Real Housewife of Cheshire Leanne Brown on her footballer’s wife divorce, dating & Dawn Ward
Published: 26 May 2026 at 06:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
The Real Housewives of Cheshire's Leanne Brown talks about ‘the deafening silence’ in the final years of her marriage to former Manchester United footballer Wes, the ‘life audit’ that eventually lead to her divorce, her ‘awful’ experience of dating ups, the fallout with Dawn Ward, how the show drove her almost to breaking point and why we have to accept ‘you can’t be everyone’s cup of tea’... Chapters 00:00 – Introduction: Leanne Brown on life after divorce 00:54 – Real Housewives of Cheshire: behind the scenes 02:02 – Why she wouldn’t return full-time 02:50 – Friendship breakdown with Dawn Ward 03:23 – Money, trust & the fallout 04:11 – Life as a WAG & luxury lifestyle ✈️ 05:07 – Early life, leaving home & difficult relationships 06:23 – Father leaving & its lasting impact 07:20 – Meeting Wes Brown (and tequila confidence 🍸) 08:29 – Dating a footballer: fears & reputation 08:48 – Life before fame: dancing & career changes 09:11 – 10 years before marriage: why wait? 09:45 – The proposal story 💍 10:13 – Why the marriage broke down 10:45 – Growing apart & lack of communication 11:38 – “The silence was deafening” 12:11 – Self-worth, people pleasing & boundaries 13:07 – Advice for women suddenly single at 50 13:47 – Rediscovering yourself after divorce 14:25 – Friendship changes after separation 14:58 – Dating apps: “terrible” experiences 😬 15:21 – Dating later in life & long-distance love 16:22 – What Leanne wants in a partner 17:09 – Modern dating vs traditional romance 18:52 – When you know it’s right (or wrong) 20:56 – Wellness coaching & “Grief to Growth” 21:20 – Different types of grief explained 22:18 – Staying friends with an ex? 23:05 – Breaking old relationship patterns 23:37 – Moving on without bringing baggage 24:29 – Co-parenting & life after separation 25:44 – Children’s book: Olive the Oracle Octopus 🐙 27:16 – Finding your voice & attraction 28:04 – Turning 50: growth & life audit 29:16 – Boundaries, HRT & personal transformation 29:25 – Dreaming of Strictly Come Dancing 💃 29:39 – Honesty Box begins 🔥 29:45 – Dogs vs cats 🐶 30:28 – Plastic surgery: yes or no? 31:22 – Makeup & confidence 31:56 – Being alone & independence 32:11 – Forgiveness vs cutting someone off 32:36 – Lessons for her daughters 32:47 – Final thoughts & outro Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestmagazine/?locale=en_GB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestmagofficial/?hl=en Twitter/X: https://x.com/bestmagofficial?lang=en BEST talks to smarter, sharper women. From financial tips and fashion advice to the latest celebrity stories, it’s a weekly date with your best mate.
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