Former Hollyoaks star Gary Lucy has received plenty of attention over the years, from the downfall of his marriage to his surprise relationship with a Love Island contestant
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, British television audiences fell hard for gritty soap characters. Among the actors who became popular in that era was Gary Lucy, whose youthful charm, tough-talking acting style and willingness to tackle controversial storylines made him one of the most recognisable faces on UK screens.
Today, more than two decades after his breakthrough, Gary has gone through prestigious television roles to tumultuous relationships and ongoing co-parenting dramas.
Now 44, Gary still has an acting agent but has somewhat stepped back from the limelight to focus on his family, sharing glimpses of his life on social media. Here, we take a look at what he’s been up to in recent years.
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Career
Gary began acting as a teenager, appearing in shows such as Grange Hill and Dream Team before his big break. His first high-profile role came in 1999 when he was cast as Luke Morgan in Hollyoaks, one of Channel 4‘s flagship soaps.
What set Gary apart early on was not just the length of his stint on the show but the impact of his storylines. In the early 2000s, his character became central to one of British soap’s most harrowing plots – a male rape storyline that became a watershed moment in British TV. Male sexual assault had never been covered in a UK soap before, and wouldn’t be again for almost 20 years.
The role helped cement his reputation as an actor willing to take on challenging material. Gary left Hollyoaks in 2002 but returned to the role multiple times over the next two decades, keeping his connection to the show strong.
After leaving the soap, his next major career milestone was in the ITV drama Footballers’ Wives (2002–2004), where he played Kyle Pascoe, a charismatic footballer in the cut-throat world of elite sport and glamour.
The show was a huge hit, praised for its over-the-top storylines, WAG culture and dramatic set pieces, and Gary became a household name in the process. His Footballers’ Wives era ended in the mid-2000s.
Between soap and prime-time dramas, Gary has kept busy. After Footballers’ Wives, he played Detective Constable Will Fletcher on The Bill from 2005 to 2010, further showcasing his versatility in gritty ensemble storytelling.
In 2012, he moved to the BBC soap EastEnders, playing Danny Pennant, an ex-partner of long-running character Lucy Beale, from 2012–2013.
His career has also included stage work – notably touring with the theatrical adaptation of The Full Monty – and guest spots in shows like The Good Ship Murder (2025), where he appeared as Jason Agnew in the Channel 5 crime-mystery series.
He has even taken part in reality TV, finishing as runner-up on ITV’s Dancing on Ice (2009), a stint that saw him train intensively on the ice with professional partner Maria Fillipov. Gary’s also very active on Instagram, showing off his career moments and even teasing about a potential OnlyFans debut. In his latest post, he wrote alongside a half naked image: “If this isn’t embarrassing enough… If I don’t get a ‘substantive’ reply from my 14 year old (you know who you are) by tonight I’ll open an OnlyFans page.”
He also shared a snap in November of him getting his makeup done for a new acting project.
Marriage
Away from the screen, Gary’s personal life has attracted its own share of attention. In November 2014 he married Natasha Gray, with a wedding featured in OK! magazine, and the couple went on to have four children: India, Elvis, Sadie and Theodore.
After around 14 years together, Gary and Natasha announced their separation. Their split in late 2018 marked the end of a long-term chapter for the star.
Despite their co-parenting relationship, it’s thought the pair are not on the best terms, with Natasha later teaming up with Gary’s future girlfriend Laura Anderson.
Romance
Gary’s relationship with reality TV star Laura Anderson, whom he met on the E4 dating show Celebs Go Dating in 2022, has drew plenty of attention.
The romance swiftly captured headlines – particularly when the former Love Island star announced in February 2023 that they were expecting their first child together. “Our hearts are full. Baby Lucy due Summer ’23,” she wrote – though she edited the caption to remove Gary’s name.
Within hours of the pregnancy announcement, Gary confirmed they were no longer together, citing his responsibilities as a father to his existing children and a disagreement over where to live as contributing factors. “I love Laura, but we are no longer together,” he told The Sun. “My main drive as always, is to work together to co-parent our child. I look forward to the arrival of the new baby.”
He later explained that relocating to Scotland – where Laura is based – would have been “impossible” given his family ties in Essex. Despite their split, Gary and Laura said at the time that that they would co-parent amicably. In March 2023, Lucy announced they were expecting a baby girl, whom he affectionately referred to as “Daddy’s girl” in an Instagram post, praising Laura for doing a “wonderful job” as a mother-to-be.
Their daughter Bonnie was born later that year, but the ex couple’s relationship quickly soured – with them both waging a war of words on social media over the years.
Laura has previously taken to Instagram to vent her frustration over Gary’s alleged lack of effort with his youngest child. Last September, Laura took a swipe at fathers who “hide money” on social media and Gary was quick to have his say. Reposting, he wrote: “Wait.. what. The narcissist’s greatest asset for leverage is a child. Children of narcissists are collateral damage in their game of control.
“… don’t forget… exploiting the child for financial gain on socials anything to keeps em ‘relevant’.” He was livid after Laura’s post, which read: “Explain this CMS ie UK Government. “CMS calculation is BEFORE tax on the unemployed (some people paying 40% tax).
“Ltd Companies (ie 1 Director) is calculated on <12k per year regardless of profit/ dividends. And nothing happens if a ‘Ltd company' doesn't pay (or hides their income elsewhere)." She then asked her followers: "Is the system fair for single parents/ co parents?"
Laura has since moved on with her current partner and praised him for his devotion as a father to Bonnie. In a wild twist, an insider revealed that Laura had bonded with Gary’s ex wife Natasha since their split. “Laura and Natasha have bonded over their experiences with Gary and neither of them has anything nice to say,” the source told the Mirror last year. “They don’t see an issue with their friendship. Neither of them are with Gary any more so in their opinion it’s none of his business.”
Another source claimed to The Sun that Natasha spotted similarities between Laura’s situation and her own and the pair have called the soap star “worse than any baddie on TV”. They went on to suggest that because of her own experience Natasha “had a good idea what Gary would do, and how traumatising it would be for Laura”.
Laura once shared a snap of Natasha and her kids and wrote, “From one proud hard working mother to another @natasha_v_lucy. We are lucky to call our beautiful babies siblings. You have been and still continue to be my rock. Bonnie and I love you all.”
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
