Blur guitarist Graham Coxon is in the midst of a bitter, gruelling UK High Court divorce battle with his wife, Soraya "Essy" Coxon.
On September 19 2024, Mr. Coxon attended an interim hearing at London’s Royal Courts of Justice, presided over by Mr. Justice Peel, regarding his separation. Both Mr. Coxon, represented by Rosanne Godfrey-Lockwood, and Mrs. Coxon, represented by Michael Glaser KC, were identified in the proceedings, though the judge has prohibited publication of specific case details.
A follow-up hearing is expected in the coming months.
Coxon’s professional life remains high-profile as Blur recently completed a world tour, including two monumental performances at Wembley in 2023. The band, which includes Damon Albarn, Alex James, and Dave Rowntree, continues to thrive with a legacy of 13 UK top 10 singles and seven chart-topping albums.
While Coxon’s personal life has been challenging, he has found renewed happiness and inspiration with musician Rose Elinor Dougall.
Dougall, the granddaughter of respected BBC newsreader Robert Neill Dougall and singer in The Pipettes, and Coxon share both a romantic and musical partnership as the duo behind The WAEVE. They released their latest album, City Lights, in September and are also parents to a two-year-old daughter Eliza May.
Coxon’s marriage to Soraya 'Essy' Coxon reportedly began to dissolve around 2020 with rumours of him meeting Rose Elinor Dougall at the same time during a London charity concert, which led to a period of emotional turmoil.
Reflecting on the experience, he recently shared with The Times: “It was extremely traumatic. That’s when I knew I needed therapy.”
The guitarist eventually returned to the UK, where he connected with Dougall. Their relationship began as a creative collaboration but soon blossomed into romance and family life.
“I didn’t know what I was going to be doing,” Coxon recalled. “I had just gone through a big loss of confidence, so I liked the idea of working with someone who could sing and play piano and take the strain a little bit. I don’t think either of us expected it to go the way it did.”
Known for his reserved and socially awkward nature, Coxon admitted that Dougall’s lively, outgoing personality has helped him open up.
“I’ve always been socially awkward, which is why it’s great going out with Rose because she’s lively and she enjoys the moment,” he explained.
Looking back, he added, “For years I was the snarling person in the corner, hiding in a pub in Camden. I was the problematic Blur boy.”
This news comes around the same time when Damon Albarn, Coxon's long-time friend and bandmate from Blur, separated from his long-term partner Suzi Winstanley.
