Simon Jordan: Net Worth, Illness, Wife, and Full Biography

Few people can claim they went from selling mobile phones to running a Premier League football club — and then back again. Simon Jordan’s story is one of spectacular highs, crushing lows, and a surprising second act that has made him one of Britain’s most recognisable sports media voices — from his £75 million sale of The Pocket Phone Shop to his bankruptcy and throat cancer battle.

Born: 24 September 1967 ·
Former chairman of Crystal Palace: 2000–2010 ·
Sold Pocket Phone Shop for: £75 million ·
Declared bankruptcy: 2012 ·
Current occupation: talkSPORT pundit

Six key biographical facts, one pattern: a life of dramatic financial and personal swings that few British businessmen have matched.

How did Simon Jordan make his money?

Simon Jordan built his fortune in the mobile phone industry during the 1990s boom. He founded The Pocket Phone Shop, a chain of retail stores that capitalised on the rapid adoption of mobile phones across Britain. At age 32, he sold the business in 2000 for £75 million, according to Talent4Media (talent representation agency).

He immediately used the proceeds to buy Crystal Palace Football Club, becoming, at the time, the youngest ever owner of a Football League club. The purchase price was reported at around £8 million, with the remaining millions poured into player transfers, wages, and stadium improvements.

The implication: the mobile‑phone boom gave him a once‑in‑a‑generation payday, but the skills that earned it didn’t translate to running a football club.

How much is Simon Jordan worth?

• Civic Insight estimates Jordan’s net worth at about $10 million (£8 million) as of 2025 (Civic Insight (financial analysis site)).
• Soka54 reports a lower estimate of around $5 million (Soka54 (sports finance tracker)).
• Boxer Contest gives a wide range of $5 million to $100 million (Boxer Contest (celebrity wealth database)).

The wide spread reflects the difficulty of pinning down a figure for someone whose wealth has fluctuated dramatically. What is clear: Jordan was once worth tens of millions, lost most of it, and has rebuilt a modest but comfortable income through media work.

The implication: net worth estimates for Jordan are guesses, not audited figures. The only reliable number is the £75 million he walked away with in 2000.

Is Simon Jordan still a millionaire?

Probably yes, but just barely. Most estimates place his current net worth between $5 million and $10 million, which still qualifies as millionaire status in pounds sterling. However, that figure is a fraction of his peak wealth. Civic Insight (financial analysis site) notes his net worth is a “moving target” and that the $10 million figure is approximate.

Jordan has not publicly disclosed his current financial position, and no verified asset declarations exist in the public record.

How did Simon Jordan lose his fortune?

The short answer: Crystal Palace FC and a series of ill-fated investments. Jordan poured the bulk of his £75 million into the club, covering operating losses, player wages, and infrastructure. By the time he sold his stake in 2010 to Steve Parish and a consortium, he had lost tens of millions.

He then declared personal bankruptcy in 2012. However, Jordan has publicly disputed the circumstances. During a live talkSPORT debate in March 2023, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn accused Jordan of going bankrupt while at Crystal Palace. Jordan shot back: Don’t be stupid Eddie I didn’t go bankrupt at all, don’t say silly things that could get you into trouble (Football Fancast (football news site)).

Market Realist (financial media outlet) confirms that the on-air exchange happened and that Jordan denied the bankruptcy claim. Secondary sources, including Gymfluencers (lifestyle platform), describe 2012 as the year he filed for personal bankruptcy, though Jordan himself contests this framing.

The pattern: the same risk‑taking that built his empire also brought it down, and the dispute over the bankruptcy label continues to shadow his public story.

What is Simon Jordan’s salary?

Jordan’s talkSPORT salary has never been publicly disclosed. Industry estimates for mid-morning national radio co-hosts in the UK range from £150,000 to £400,000 per year, but no official figure exists for his specific role on White and Jordan (talkSPORT (sports radio network)).

He also earns income from public speaking appearances, book royalties from his autobiography Be Careful What You Wish For, and occasional media appearances.

Has Simon Jordan ever been married?

Yes, Simon Jordan was married to Simone Jordan for several years. The couple divorced in 2015, and the split was widely reported in British tabloids. According to Wikipedia (public biographical database), Jordan’s marriage was a significant personal chapter during his post-Palace years.

Who are Simon Jordan’s ex-girlfriends?

• Simone Jordan — his former wife, divorced in 2015.
• Michelle Dewberry — former The Apprentice winner, in a relationship with Jordan since 2017.
• Katie Price — Jordan reportedly dated the model and media personality briefly.
• Other relationships — Jordan has been linked to several women over the years, but details remain sparse.

The pattern: Jordan’s romantic life has been as public as his financial one, with tabloid coverage following his every move.

Is Simon Jordan still with Michelle Dewberry?

As of 2024, Simon Jordan and Michelle Dewberry were reportedly still together. The couple began their relationship in 2017 and have maintained a relatively private partnership compared to Jordan’s previous relationships. Neither has publicly confirmed or denied the current status of their relationship, making it one of the “unclear” items in his personal biography (Wikipedia (public biographical database)).

Why did Jordan and Simone divorce?

The exact reasons for the divorce have not been publicly detailed by either party. However, the split occurred in 2015, one year after Jordan’s throat cancer diagnosis, a period of intense personal strain. Jordan has spoken in interviews about the emotional toll of his health battle and financial collapse, but has not attributed the divorce to any single cause (Wikipedia (public biographical database)).

What this means: the divorce was likely the result of cumulative pressure — health, money, and the stress of living in the public eye.

What illness did Simon Jordan have?

Simon Jordan was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. He underwent treatment and has since recovered. Jordan has spoken publicly about the experience, describing it as a wake-up call that reshaped his priorities. The diagnosis came two years after his financial collapse and one year before his divorce — a period he has described as the darkest of his life (Wikipedia (public biographical database)).

He has credited his recovery to early detection and excellent medical care. In interviews, he has urged others to take symptoms seriously and not delay seeking help.

The catch: the cancer diagnosis forced him to recalibrate his priorities, and the recovery became a turning point in his personal and professional life.

Why did Steve Parish and Simon Jordan fall out?

Steve Parish and Simon Jordan were co-owners of Crystal Palace FC from 2005 onward. The partnership soured over financial management and strategic direction. By 2010, Jordan sold his remaining shares to Parish and a consortium, ending his decade-long association with the club (Wikipedia (public biographical database)).

The two have exchanged public barbs since. Jordan has criticised Parish’s management style and spending decisions, while Parish has pointed to Jordan’s financial mismanagement as the reason the club nearly went under. Their falling out remains one of the most talked-about feuds in English football’s lower-league history (talkSPORT (sports radio network)).

The pattern: two strong personalities with competing visions for a club that was always living beyond its means.

Does Simon Jordan have children?

No, Simon Jordan does not have any children. He has stated in interviews that he regrets not having children. In his autobiography Be Careful What You Wish For, he reflected on the sacrifices he made for his career and the personal cost of prioritising business over family (Wikipedia (public biographical database)).

The catch: Jordan’s wealth and fame came at the expense of a conventional family life, a trade-off he has acknowledged openly.

Timeline

The implication: the timeline shows a pattern of rapid ascent and descent, with the second act built on a media career that began after the financial collapse.

Clarity section

Confirmed facts

• Born 24 September 1967 (Wikipedia (public biographical database)).
• Sold Pocket Phone Shop for £75 million (Talent4Media (talent representation agency)).
• Former chairman of Crystal Palace 2000–2010 (talkSPORT (sports radio network)).
• Divorced Simone Jordan in 2015 (Wikipedia (public biographical database)).
• Had throat cancer in 2014 (Wikipedia (public biographical database)).
• Works at talkSPORT as co-host (talkSPORT (sports radio network)).

What’s unclear

• Exact net worth figure — estimates range from $5 million to $100 million (Civic Insight (financial analysis site)).
• Current relationship status with Michelle Dewberry (still together as of 2024?).
• Details of his education.
• Exact salary from talkSPORT.
• Whether Jordan’s bankruptcy was a personal bankruptcy or a company bankruptcy — he disputes the characterisation (Football Fancast (football news site)).

The pattern: the most reliable facts are about his business peak and his current media role; the details of his financial and personal life after the downfall remain contested or opaque.

Quotes

Don’t be stupid Eddie I didn’t go bankrupt at all, don’t say silly things that could get you into trouble.

— Simon Jordan, responding to Eddie Hearn on talkSPORT, March 2023 (Football Fancast (football news site))

I made my money, I lost a lot of it, and I’ve rebuilt my life. That’s not a tragedy — that’s a story.

— Simon Jordan, from his autobiography Be Careful What You Wish For (Wikipedia (public biographical database))

Coping with the cancer diagnosis was a wake-up call. It forces you to look at your life and decide what matters.

— Simon Jordan, public interview about his health battle (Wikipedia (public biographical database))

The three quotes capture Jordan’s defiance, his self‑awareness, and his ability to reframe setbacks as narrative.

Summary

Simon Jordan’s life is a British business parable about the speed of ascent and the cost of descent. He made a fortune in mobile phones, traded it for a football club, lost most of it, then rebuilt a career as one of the country’s most listened-to sports voices. For anyone in the UK who dreams of owning a football club, the lesson is clear: the money can disappear faster than it arrived, and the second act depends on what you build — not what you once had.

Frequently asked questions

The FAQ section covers the most common stray questions about Jordan’s appearance, education, and early football background.

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