Rise of the MAGs (that's middle-aged grandparents!): Steven Gerrard joins the ranks of 40-something stars who have welcomed grandchildren

Daily Mail​

17-07-2025

While celebrities are known for holding back the years with expensive beauty treatments and intense fitness regimes, there's no event quite as ageing - albeit joyful - like becoming a grandparent.
That said, when Steven Gerrard welcomed his first granddaughter this week, aged 45, he joined the ranks of celebrities who are have entered their grandparent era early in mid-life.
He's in good company with Danny Dyer, Dean Gaffney, and Snoop Dogg who were all just 43 when they became grandfathers for the first time.
Meanwhile, actress Kym Marsh revealed last month that she is set to become a grandmother for the fourth time at the age of 49.
In some cases, stars who became parents at a young age, then divorced and started second families, have young children who are only a few years older than the new arrivals.
For instance, Ronan Keating's youngest daughter Coco was just three years old when his granddaughter - her niece - was born in 2023.
Steven Gerrard - 45
Steven Gerrard, 45, became a grandad at this week when his daughter, Lilly-Ella, welcomed her first child - a baby girl.
The influencer, 21, took to Instagram to share a black and white image of her boyfriend Lee Byrne, leaving the hospital whilst carrying their newborn in a car seat.
She simply captioned the photo, '@leebyrne8 2 becomes 3'.
The eldest child of the former England footballer announced she was expecting her first child in January.
Lilly has been in a relationship with Lee Byrne - the son of a jailed Irish gangster - since October 2022, and their romance made headlines when it first came to light.
Former midfielder Steven has four children with wife Alex - daughters Lilly, Lexie, 19, Lourdes, 14, and a son named Lio, eight.
Lilly announced her pregnancy news in January, sharing a photo of her positive pregnancy test and telling her 222,000 Instagram followers: 'Our little secret. The best news... mini us is on the way.'
Responding to his daughter's post, Gerrard wrote: 'We can't wait. Congratulations and we love you.'
Lilly's partner - with whom she was first linked in 2022 - is the son of Kinahan Cartel gangster Liam Byrne, who was issued a five and a half year prison sentence for a plot to stockpile a stash of machine guns.
Ronan Keating - 46
Ronan Keating, who is a father-of-five, became a grandfather for the first time aged 46 in 2023.
The Boyzone singer shares three children with his ex-wife Yvonne Connolly and two children with his current wife Storm Keating.
His eldest son Jack became a father aged 23 in March 2023 when he announced he had welcomed baby girl, but didn't reveal who the mother was until later.
The news came as a shock because it happened just months after he left the Love Island villa - he is not in a relationship with the mother of his child.
Jack announced in an Instagram post that he had welcomed a baby girl - confusing fans because he hadn't mentioned a child before.
He had appeared on the ITV2 show eight months prior - meaning his baby daughter was likely conceived before his appearance on the show.
Jack has not been public about a romantic relationship since leaving the Love Island villa but the mother was later revealed to be artist Keely Iqbal.
While hosting The One Show shortly after the birth, Ronan made reference to his family's new addition while insisting he wants to be called 'pops'.
When his co-host Jermaine Jenas said, 'You're a grandad now,' the former Boyzone star replied, 'Yes I am. My son had a gorgeous baby.'
Jermaine then said: 'You prefer to be called something else?' with Ronan responding. 'Pops.'
Dean Gaffney - 43
EastEnders star Dean Gaffney revealed he had become a grandfather at the age of 43 - after one of his twin daughters, Chloe, gave birth in July 2021.
The actor, who is most famous for playing hapless Robbie on the soap, shared a picture of himself holding the baby girl, Mimi, on Instagram.
In the sweet snap, he cradles the child in his arms and is looking at the newborn affectionately.
He joked with his followers: 'Just to thank everyone in advance, I know I don't look old enough to be a father let alone a grandfather!'
The actor shares twins, Chloe and Charlotte, with ex partner Sarah Burge.
The pair met when they were just 15-years-old and dated for 22 years before they announced their split in June 2015, after he admitted to cheating on her with a string of women.
Danny Dyer - 43
Danny Dyer became a grandfather at 43, after his daughter Dani welcomed her first child with her now ex-boyfriend Sammy Kimmence.
The EastEnders star, who has three children, was just 18 when his wife Joanne welcomed their first child Dani, after getting together aged 14.
Dani revealed her father, Danny, 'couldn't stop crying' after becoming a grandfather to her son, Santiago.
Speaking on the Made By Mammas podcast, the former Love Islander confirmed the actor didn't expect to be so emotional as he said he 'never felt anything like' becoming a granddad.
She said: 'My dad didn't realise [he would be so emotional about being a granddad]. He has been so emotional around Santiago, the other day he was really crying.
'He went: 'I love babies, but your baby. I have never felt anything like it. I didn't think I'd feel like this'.
'He hasn't experienced being a grandad yet, I made him a first time grandad. It has hit him more now.
'He did see me pregnant and getting bigger but seeing me with the baby, it's like, 'this is real now'.'
Dani went on to welcome twins daughters named Sunny and Star in 2023 with her husband Jarrod Bowen.
Kym Marsh - 46
Kym Marsh announced last month that she is to become a grandmother for a fourth time.
The soap star, 49, took to Instagram with a gushing post as she revealed daughter Emilie Cunliffe and son-in Michael Hoszowskyj were expecting their second child.
Kym, who shares actress Emilie, 28, with ex David Cunliffe, said she was 'thrilled' and shared a snap of the couple's son Teddy, six, and Michael's daughter Polly, nine, proudly holding an ultra sound picture.
She wrote: 'I am so thrilled to share the news!!! Grandchild number 4… incoming!!! Congratulations to my beautiful daughter @listentoemilie , my wonderful son in law @mikeyhoz and Teddy and Polly!! Can't wait to meet you little one!'.
Kym is also grandmother to her eldest child David's son Clayton, who he welcomed with fiancée Courtney in 2022.
Kym is also mother to 14-year-old daughter Poppy whom she shares with ex-husband and Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas, as well son Archie who as born 18 weeks premature in 2009 and passed away shortly after birth
Kym and Jamie first met on a train as they made their way to the 2007 TV Quick Awards before developing a romance in July 2008 - a year before Kym's divorce from ex-husband Jack Ryder.
She married a third time in 2021, when she tied the knot with soldier Scott Ratcliff, before their split was announced in May 2023.
Jessie Wallace - 50
EastEnders star Jessie Wallace became grandmother at 50 after her 17-year-old daughter Tallulah gave birth to her first child.
The actress, who plays Kat Slater on the BBC One soap, announced the arrival of her family's new addition on her Instagram page in March 2022, saying: 'Welcome to the world, my grandson SJ. You are loved, cherished, and adored.'
Jessie was congratulated by her Albert Square co-stars including Lacey Turner and Jimmy Bye, who play Stacey Slater and Martin Fowler in the long-running drama.
A source close to Jessie told MailOnline at the time: 'Jessie is chuffed to bits about being a grandmother.
'Her close circle knew Tallulah was pregnant and how excited the family were. They're both looking forward to making a lifetime of memories.'
The identity of the baby's father is yet to be revealed as Jessie continues to keep Tallulah out of the spotlight – and away from her social media accounts. She has rarely been pictured.
Jessie shares daughter Tallulah with her ex-partner Dave Morgan but the couple split shortly after she was born.
The actress began dating the policeman in 2003 after Dave accompanied her in court where she was appearing on a drink and drive charge.
Snoop Dogg - 43
Snoop Dogg became a grandfather at the age of 43 when his eldest son Cordé became a father to son Zion in 2015.
'Zion. U have a lot of love Waitn on u grandson!!' Snoop Dogg wrote in an Instagram post accompanied by a montage of various family members - most of them looking fondly at the newborn.
A second photo showed Snoop Dogg's wife, Shante Taylor, holding the baby, captioned as 'Proud grandma @bosslady.'
In 2023 the rapper told MailOnline he had moderated his weed consumption and re-evaluated his lifestyle after becoming a grandfather
'Being a grandfather has changed me in multiple ways,' he told MailOnline. 'The main way is being concerned with how I live, how I move, the kind of people I'm associated with, because I want to see my grandkids grow old.
'The only way I can do that is to take precautionary steps as far as how I move, who I hang out with, where I go out, my intake, what am I intaking?'
Last year, he revealed how many grandchildren he actually had during an appearance on the Jennifer Hudson Show.
'Now, OK, I was trying to imagine Snoop as a granddad. So how many grandkids do you actually have?' the host asked.
'Actually, I have a total of 12 grandkids,' he answered.
'Yes, yes I do. And they're different ages, ranges, sizes and I love them all the same way.'
'Actually, my oldest grandson, his birthday is today so I'm on my way to his birthday party when I leave here.' he told the audience.
'He's going to be 9 years old, that's Zion Broadus,' Snoop explained.
Jennifer asked the My Family artist what his grandkids called him.
The Doggyland star explained that Zion was the first to come up with a title.
'He used to call me Papa Noop, because he couldn't say Snoop, so he started calling me Papa Noop. And then as time went by, he learned how to say Snoop, so now I'm Papa Snoop.'
Kiefer Sutherland - 39
Kiefer first became a grandfather aged 39 when his stepdaughter Michelle Kath welcomed her son Hamish in 2011.
His daughter Sarah Sutherland later welcomed a son named Quinn in 2018.
He previously told Australia's 7News: 'The wonderful thing about grandchildren is you give them back. So when they come to visit me, I've got my $5 and my $10 and I've got some chocolate and Coca-Colas and everything they're not supposed to have.
'I spend about two hours getting them completely wired, I give them cash so they'll come back, and then I hand them back to their mother and say 'good luck.''
Kiefer became a father himself aged 20 and credited fatherhood for putting him on the straight and narrow.
In a new interview with Radio Times, the actor reflected on the early days of Hollywood and how having children saved him from decisions which could have been 'very damaging for me'.
He has been charged with drink driving four times over the years, he was sentenced to 48 days in jail in 2007 after failing a sobriety test.
'I'm not a moron, I know the difference between right and wrong. It's just sometimes I've done the wrong thing,' he says.
But the Designated Survivor star, who has one daughter Sarah and one stepdaughter from his second marriage, to Camelia Kath, credits his family for keeping him grounded.
Keifer said having children at a such a young age made his 'get away from a bunch of other things that I think could have been very damaging for me'.
Pierce Brosnan - 44
Pierce Brosnan first became a grandad at the age of 44 when his late daughter Charlotte welcomed Isabella with her husband Alex Smith.
Charlotte was nine years old when her mother Cassandra, an Australian actress who played a Bond girl in For Your Eyes Only, married the star at Chelsea Registry Office in 1980.
Tragically Charlotte passed away at her London home in 2013 after a three-year battle with ovarian cancer - the same disease which killed her mother Cassandra 22 years prior.
Charlotte and her brother Christopher, from Cassandra's previous marriage to Dermot, were joined by a half-sibling Sean in 1983.
Although Pierce and Charlotte were not biologically related, he has previously spoken of the close relationship he enjoyed with her and her brother after he married Cassandra.
'We just clicked as a family,' he said. 'To begin with I was Pierce, then I was Daddy Pierce, and then I just became Dad. Charlotte and Chris have just been amazing in my life.'
Pierce adopted his wife's children after their biological father Dermot Harris died in 1986, and they changed their surname to his.