Hollywood actress Courteney Cox and Northern Irish musician Johnny McDaid have reportedly ended their 13-year relationship. The news of the separation, initially reported by the Daily Mail and later confirmed by People magazine, marks the conclusion of a high-profile romance that began in late 2013.
Cox, 62, known globally for her role as Monica Geller in the iconic sitcom 'Friends', and McDaid, 49, the guitarist for UK band Snow Patrol, were last seen together in public in September of last year, attending the US Open tennis tournament. Representatives for both individuals have been contacted for comment.
The couple's initial connection was facilitated by singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, who was housemates with McDaid at the time. Sheeran famously recounted introducing the two, stating they became 'crazy about each other'. Cox herself reflected on their first kiss, describing it as the best of her life, which occurred after Sheeran brought McDaid to her home one Sunday.
Their relationship saw a brief engagement in 2014, just nine months after they started dating. However, this was called off in 2015, leading to a six-month separation during which McDaid relocated to England. Cox spoke candidly in 2024 on the 'Minnie Questions with Minnie Driver' podcast about this period, describing the breakup as 'intense' and occurring in therapy, expressing her shock and pain at the time. They later reconciled, maintaining separate residences across continents.
The couple also navigated the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced them into an extended period of living apart. Cox discussed missing McDaid's 'physical touch' during a virtual appearance on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show', highlighting the difficulty of the longest time they had spent separated. Cox had previously spoken about their 12-year age gap in a 2017 interview with NewBeauty, acknowledging it could be challenging for others but not for them.