Almost as notorious as Nigel Farage's political career is his love life – and it all came to a head when his 'secret' girlfriend Laure Ferrari jetted off to Australia to support the politician in his I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here experience back in December 2023.
It’s one of politics worst-kept secrets (and let's be honest, there are lots) that married-man Nigel had something – or someone – happening in his love life. And following his jungle stint last year and his current political activity in his role as Reform UK's party leader, there’s only been more interest with ‘Nigel Farage wife’ and ‘Nigel Farage girlfriend’ trending regularly.
So, you're probably wondering who Laure Ferrari is, how she met the star, and exactly when Nigel and his wife decided to lead separate lives. Well you've come to the right place, because here's everything you need/ want to know about the former UKIP leader’s current partner.
Who is Laure Ferrari?
Laure is a French politician who has worked for several right-wing to far-right political organisations and parties including Debout la France.
She was previously head of the Institute for Direct Democracy in Europe, a Eurosceptic think tank. In 2017, the organisation was wrongly accused of diverting public money to benefit UKIP. An investigation later revealed that that was not the case.
What nationality is Laure Ferrari?
Laure Ferrari is French, having been born in Épinal, France.
How old is Laure Ferrari?
Born 6 October 1979, Laure is 44 years old. FYI, astrology says Laure’s cultured Libra can be the perfect match to Nigel’s sometimes brash Aries….
When did Laure Ferrari and Nigel Farage meet?
In 2007, Laure - who was working as a waitress at the time - met Nigel in Strasbourg. It would be this encounter that set her on a political career path. After meeting in France, Nigel seemingly encouraged Laure to pursue a career in politics and eventually she became a parliamentary assistant in charge of environmental issues.
Did Nigel Farage and Laure Ferrari work together?
Once Laure became a parliamentary assistant, the pair did begin working together in European parliament.
When did Nigel Farage and Laure Ferrari start dating?
In 2017, the pair were first linked when they were seen having a drink together at a London pub.
It was later revealed that Laure had begun staying at Nigel’s £4 million Cheshire home, but at the time, Nigel denied any rumours of a relationship, saying, ‘She is someone I have worked with and known for a long time who wanted somewhere to stay for a week that wouldn't cost her any money.’
‘It's a working relationship. You can inflate it however you want to.’
Despite that, footage emerged of the pair slow-dancing months later at a party thrown to celebrate the Brexit vote’s one-year anniversary. A fellow guest at the party shared, 'There was no question that they were a couple. Laure was putting on quite a display. She seemed to twerk a bit and was all over Nigel. From the look on his face, he was loving every minute.'
Is Nigel Farage married?
Now, this is where it gets confusing, so bear with us...
Laure Ferrari has allegedly been in an ongoing spat with Nigel’s former mistress, Annabel Fuller (who has claimed her own 12-year affair with Nigel started in 2004.) When Nigel was rushed to hospital after his plane crash, Annabel claimed she rushed to the hospital to see him – only to find Nigel’s second wife and Laure were already there.
Two years later, in a leaked email that Laure sent Annabel, she wrote that British women are ‘drunken tarts [who] put themselves in embarrassing situations with well-known married men whom they kiss in public', while French women can be ‘very discreet and respectful hiding a sincere love affair for 3 years and 6 months… not looking for any kind of publicity at all.’
Amidst all of this, let’s not forget Nigel’s actual wife - Kirsten Mehr. Nigel married German-born Kirsten in 1999, following his divorce from his first wife.
The pair have two children together called Victoria and Isabelle Farage – as well as Nigel sharing two children called Thomas and Samuel with his first wife Grainne Hayes.
The pair split in 2017, shortly after Laure moved into Nigel’s London house. Since then, Kirsten has said the pair were ‘living seperate lives’ for years before their split. She said at the time, ‘My husband and I have lived separate lives for some years, and he moved out of the family home a while ago. This is a situation that suits everyone and is not news to any of the people involved.’
What has Laure Ferrari said about Nigel Farage?
Earlier this year, Laure opened up about her relationship with the former UKIP leader. Talking to The Daily Mail, she said, ‘I can see it as my duty to support him. When he was invited on to I'm A Celebrity, we talked about it. I saw it as a massive opportunity for him to shine.’
‘He was more thoughtful about it. He consulted his family and friends. It was a team effort that got him to appear.’