Jo Wood has opened up about her tumultuous romance with Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, revealing that her parents were horrified by the relationship from the very beginning.
The 70-year-old former model and author, who recently published her debut novel The Resurrection of Flo, met Ronnie at a party in 1977 and tied the knot in 1985. Despite raising two children together and staying married for 24 years, Jo says her family was never comfortable with the idea — and for good reason.
Speaking on Best’s Suddenly Single podcast, Jo recalled: “My parents were shocked and horrified. They knew about the history and the drugs and the rock and roll. My mum told me she thought I was going to die.”
Jo painted a picture of their wild, chaotic lifestyle, particularly during their time in Los Angeles. “We used to have lots of parties. People would just show up, start pouring drinks. Sly Stone popped in and stayed for three days. It was just madness. Complete madness.”
Although her parents were concerned, Jo and Ronnie remained married for over two decades before their eventual split in 2009. She has three children — Leah and Tyrone with Ronnie, and Jamie from a previous marriage — and also adopted Jesse, Ronnie’s son from his first marriage.
Ronnie, now 78, moved on and married Sally Humphreys, a theatre producer 31 years his junior, in 2012. The couple have twin daughters, Gracie Jane and Alice Rose.
Jo, meanwhile, is enjoying her single life — mostly. She shared that while she’s open to meeting someone new, she’s quite happy with her current lifestyle, surrounded by nature, her children, and her ten grandchildren.
“I like going to my lovely little house. I can cook what I want because I’m a mad, organic person. I can watch Love Island if I want. I can do whatever I want,” she said.
Still, Jo candidly admitted there’s one part of being single she misses most: “I love sex. That’s the only thing I don’t like about being single… I’m sure I’ve got a couple of male friends who’d be willing to help out in times of need, but I’m not that desperate.”
Even after a life filled with rock ‘n’ roll chaos and heartbreak, Jo Wood remains refreshingly honest, grounded — and ready to live life exactly on her own terms.
