Stuart Hogg, once hailed as one of Scotland’s greatest rugby talents, has found himself in the center of a storm of personal and professional upheaval. Less than a year after he and TV presenter Leonna Mayor welcomed their son, Teddy, the couple have officially split—a development that Mayor confirmed in a candid social media post on January 9, 2026.
The public unraveling of their relationship follows a tumultuous period for Hogg, 33, whose glittering rugby career has been overshadowed by a conviction for domestic abuse against his ex-wife, Gillian. According to The Record and corroborated by multiple outlets, Hogg admitted to a five-year course of abuse, including shouting, swearing, tracking Gillian’s movements, and sending her hundreds of alarming and distressing messages. The court heard that, on one occasion, Hogg sent his estranged wife more than 200 messages in just a couple of hours.
Despite the gravity of the offenses, Hogg avoided jail time. In January 2025, Sheriff Peter Paterson sentenced him to a community payback order with one year of supervision. Dr. Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, described the sentence as “trivial,” telling The Daily Mail that Hogg subjected his former partner to a “regime of terror for five years.”
Leonna Mayor, 34, stood by Hogg throughout the legal proceedings and the ensuing public scrutiny. Their relationship was thrust into the limelight in November 2023, just days after Gillian gave birth to her fourth child with Hogg. The timing raised eyebrows, but the couple soon made their romance official with a joint appearance at the races and Instagram posts celebrating their new chapter. By February 2025, Mayor gave birth to their son Teddy in France, where the family had relocated due to Hogg’s contract with French club Montpellier. Teddy was born prematurely at just 4lb 6oz, requiring a short hospital stay before coming home.
Yet, by early 2026, the cracks in Hogg and Mayor’s relationship had become irreparable. Mayor, who presents horse racing for Sky Sports and ITV and was once dubbed “the world’s sexiest jockey,” took to Instagram to address mounting speculation about her personal life. “Now seems as good a time as any,” she wrote. “Lots of you guys asking about my situation and life recently – I am no longer with Stuart. I appreciate everyone’s genuine interest in our life. I’m not one to discuss other people’s lives so won’t add detail. We’ll just say it’s just me and Teddy. It has been for a while now so I am in a position to be able to talk about our future with friends and family and those closest to us. New year. Fresh start. Me and the most precious thing. Lots of exciting things planned in life and work coming up.”
Her message, echoed in coverage by RUCK and The Mirror, made it clear that the split was not recent, but rather a reality she had been living with for some time. Since March 2025, Hogg had not appeared on Mayor’s social media, and her posts increasingly focused on her new life as a single mother, often featuring Teddy and hinting at an optimistic future.
For Hogg, the personal turmoil coincided with a dramatic reversal of his professional fortunes. After retiring from rugby just two months before the 2023 Rugby World Cup—a decision he later admitted was an attempt to save his marriage—he found himself adrift. “I gave up on my rugby career to try to save my marriage,” Hogg told The Rugby Paper. “At the time, I didn’t know who I was. I didn’t know what was going on in life, whether I was making people happy or sad. I used alcohol to escape. I was purely existing.” He added, “I’m in a better place mentally than I’ve been in years. I used to think being selfish was strength. But I took that too far. I hurt people. Now, I’m learning to be selfless for the right reasons—for my kids, my partner, my team.”
Hogg’s decision to come out of retirement in July 2024 and sign a two-year contract with Montpellier was seen by some as an attempt to reclaim a sense of normalcy and purpose. “I missed the camaraderie, the laughs, the buzz. I needed that back. The players and coaches [at Montpellier] value me, maybe because I finally value myself,” he reflected. However, he also acknowledged the personal cost: “The real downside is being away from my kids and getting the chance to go back and see them regularly. The hope is that they will be able to come out to France and see me.”
Hogg’s rugby credentials remain impressive by any standard. The former Glasgow Warriors and Exeter Chiefs fullback amassed 100 senior caps for Scotland, participated in three British and Irish Lions tours, and is still one of his country’s all-time leading try scorers. In recognition of his contributions to rugby union, he was awarded an MBE in the 2024 New Year honours list. Yet, this accolade has become a point of contention. Following his conviction, there have been public calls to strip Hogg of the honor, with critics arguing that his off-field conduct is incompatible with the distinction.
Meanwhile, the fallout from his personal life continues. Hogg and Gillian’s former family home in Hawick, Roxburghshire, has lingered on the market, with the asking price dropping from £850,000 in April 2025 to £595,000 by November of the same year. The sale of the property, which they bought for nearly £700,000 in 2022, is emblematic of the broader upheaval that has marked Hogg’s recent years.
For Leonna Mayor, the focus is now firmly on the future. She has made it clear that her priority is her son, Teddy, and that she is embracing the opportunities ahead—both personally and professionally. “New year. Fresh start,” she reiterated, a sentiment that resonates with many who have followed her journey through the highs and lows of the past year.
As for Hogg, his legacy on the rugby field remains secure, but his off-field actions have cast a long shadow. The story of his rise, fall, and ongoing search for redemption is a stark reminder that even the brightest stars can be dimmed by personal failings—and that the path to rebuilding a life is often far from straightforward.