Midge Ure is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the frontman for the band Ultravox and for co-writing the charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” with Bob Geldof. Ure has been married twice. His first wife was Annabel Giles, a model, dancer and actress. The two were married from 1988 to 2000 and have two daughters together – Molly and Anya. In 2009, Ure married Sheridan Forbes, a costume designer. The two currently reside in Oxfordshire, England.
Quick Answer
Midge Ure has been married twice. His first wife was Annabel Giles, from 1988 to 2000. They have two daughters together. In 2009, he married his current wife Sheridan Forbes. Sheridan is a costume designer and she and Midge live in Oxfordshire, England.
Early Life and Music Career
Midge Ure was born James Ure on October 10, 1953 in Cambuslang, Scotland. He grew up in Glasgow and showed an early interest and talent in music. In the 1970s, Ure was a member of several bands including Slik, The Rich Kids, Thin Lizzy and Visage. However, his biggest success came when he joined the new wave band Ultravox in 1980. Along with Ultravox, Ure had major hits with songs like “Vienna” and “Dancing with Tears in My Eyes.”
In 1984, Ure co-wrote the historic charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” with Bob Geldof. The song featured vocals from several major artists and was released to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. It became the Christmas number one in the UK and raised over £8 million. Ure also helped organize the subsequent Live Aid concerts in 1985.
Marriage to Annabel Giles
In 1988, Midge Ure married his first wife Annabel Giles. Annabel was working as a model, actress and dancer at the time. She had appeared on the TV show Top of the Pops, which is likely where she and Midge first met. The two were married until 2000 and had two daughters together during that time – Molly in 1989 and Anya in 1992.
Annabel Giles has said that meeting Midge opened doors for her to pursue an acting career. However, she felt she put her ambitions on hold to raise their family. She was candid about the struggles of being married to a pop star and how Midge’s music career kept him away from home for long stretches.
In her autobiography in 2003, Annabel wrote about feeling lonely and isolated during her marriage to Midge. She said the marriage was affected by Midge’s cocaine use and affairs he had while touring. The two divorced in 2000 after growing apart, but have stayed amicable to co-parent their daughters.
Key Facts
- Met on Top of the Pops in 1980s
- Married from 1988 to 2000
- Had 2 daughters together – Molly and Anya
- Annabel felt she put career on hold for family
- Marriage struggled with Midge touring and using cocaine
- Divorced amicably in 2000
Second Marriage to Sheridan Forbes
After his first marriage ended, Midge Ure was single for close to a decade. Then in 2009, he married his current wife Sheridan Forbes. Sheridan is a costume designer for theatre, film and television. Some of her notable work includes costumes for the films The Libertine and Mrs Henderson Presents.
Midge and Sheridan reportedly met through mutual friends. They started dating in 2008 and got married the following year. The intimate ceremony was held at the Harbourmaster Hotel in Midge’s hometown of Aberdeen, Scotland. In contrast to his first wedding, Midge did not publicize this marriage very widely at the time.
By all accounts, Midge and Sheridan’s marriage is stable and happy. The two reside together in Oxfordshire, England. Sheridan often accompanies Midge on tour and has created outfits for him to wear on stage over the years. Both Midge and Sheridan have adult children from previous relationships who live outside the home.
Key Facts
- Met through mutual friends in 2008
- Married in 2009 in Aberdeen, Scotland
- Sheridan is a costume designer for theatre and film
- Midge did not publicize the marriage widely
- Both have children from previous relationships
- Currently reside together in Oxfordshire
Midge Ure’s Music and Charity Work
While married to his second wife Sheridan Forbes, Midge Ure has continued to have an active music career. He tours regularly, performs concerts and releases new music. Some of his recent albums include Fragile from 2014 and Orchestrated in 2019 which featured orchestral versions of his hits.
Midge has also been very involved in charity work, mainly focused on fundraising efforts in Africa. He is a trustee for the charity Phase One Foundation which supports initiatives for sustainable development in Africa. Additionally, Midge served as the musical director for the Band Aid 30 project in 2014 which recorded a new version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” to raise funds to fight Ebola in West Africa.
Key Facts
- Continues touring, recording music in recent years
- Released albums Fragile (2014) and Orchestrated (2019)
- Active in charity work focused on Africa
- Trustee for Phase One Foundation
- Involved in Band Aid 30 for Ebola relief in 2014
Comparison to First Marriage
From all accounts, Midge Ure’s second marriage to Sheridan Forbes has been much more stable and drama-free compared to his first marriage to Annabel Giles.
Some key differences between the marriages include:
Midge & Annabel | Midge & Sheridan |
---|---|
Got married at height of Midge’s fame | Got married when Midge was older and settled |
Heavily covered by media | Did not publicize marriage widely |
Annabel felt she put career on hold | Sheridan continues her career |
Midge away touring a lot | Sheridan often travels with Midge when touring |
Struggled with Midge’s drug use and affairs | Stable relationship without known issues |
Grew apart after having kids | Kids grown when married |
It seems Midge has been able to have a more balanced family dynamic with Sheridan than he had early in his career with Annabel. Sheridan is an independent career woman who can travel with Midge when needed. They got married at a calmer point in life when Midge was sober and more mature. Overall, it appears to be a stable and loving relationship built on mutual trust and support.
Midge Ure’s Life Today
Today, at age 70, Midge Ure continues to have a very active music career, even if he’s not selling millions of records like his heyday with Ultravox. He seems to have found happiness in his second marriage to Sheridan Forbes. The two have been able to blend their passions for music and design.
Midge balances his time between touring, recording new music, and charity work. He often appears at 80s revival concerts and festivals, reminding audiences of his legendary status in the music world. While he still performs Ultravox hits, he also continues releasing new solo material as well.
In his personal life, Midge focuses time on his family including his daughters and grandchildren. He enjoys living with his wife Sheridan in Oxfordshire away from the chaos of big cities. Staying active and involved with music seems to be Midge’s formula for happiness and he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. He remains regarded as one of the most influential musicians to come out of the new wave era.
Key Facts
- Still actively tours and records new music at age 70
- Performs at 80s revival concerts/festivals
- Splits time between music, family and charity work
- Lives in Oxfordshire with wife Sheridan
- Remains highly respected for his influence on new wave music
- No plans to retire from music industry
Conclusion
Midge Ure has led an interesting life both personally and professionally. He’s had ups and downs in his love life, going through a difficult first marriage before finding stability with his current wife Sheridan Forbes. Professionally, he cemented his legacy with Ultravox and Live Aid but still continues to make new music and tour decades later.
Now in his 70s, Midge seems to have struck a good balance between work and family. The passion for music still burns strongly as he records and performs regularly. And he’s found domestic happiness with his wife Sheridan, spending time together in Oxfordshire when he’s not on the road. After the turbulence early in his career, Midge seems to have settled into a rewarding and fulfilling life doing what he loves.
So in summary – Midge Ure’s wife today is Sheridan Forbes, a costume designer he married in 2009. It’s his second marriage after divorcing first wife Annabel Giles in 2000. Though the heights of fame may have passed, Midge continues to write, perform and record new music regularly. And by all accounts, his marriage to Sheridan is stable and supportive, allowing him to balance his busy career with family life.