Tom Jones: Biography, Wife Linda, Illness, and FAQs

Sir Tom Jones has been a fixture in music for over six decades, but behind the leather-clad stage presence lies a story of a lifelong love, private grief, and persistent rumors. In this article, we separate verified facts from the speculation surrounding his marriage to Linda, his health scares, and the questions fans still ask today.

Birth name: Thomas Jones Woodward · Born: June 7, 1940 · Origin: Pontypridd, Wales · Genres: Pop, rock, soul · Years active: 1963–present · Spouse: Linda Woodward (m. 1957–2016)

Nine key facts, one pattern: Tom Jones’s life is a mix of public glory and private constancy.

Does Tom Jones have a partner now?

After Linda’s death in 2016, Jones has been open about his loneliness. He told The Independent he needed grief counselling and couldn’t imagine remarrying.

Tom Jones’ marriage to Linda

• Married March 1957 when she was 16 and he was 16 (The Guardian)
• Linda was eight months pregnant with son Mark at the wedding (People)

Life after Linda’s death

• Jones canceled a tour to be with Linda during her final months (People)
• He sought grief counselling after her death (The Independent)

Current companionship status

• No verifiable reports of a new partner as of the latest updates (HELLO!)
• Jones has stated he will never love again in the same way (HELLO!)

The implication: Jones’s emotional life after Linda is defined by solitude, not by any new relationship. Fans should treat any claim of a new partner as unsubstantiated.

What was Tom Jones’ illness?

Jones has faced several health scares, but the most persistent rumor—stage 4 cancer—is unsupported by credible sources.

Staphylococcus infection in 2013

• Hospitalized with a staph infection, which he recovered from fully (HELLO!)

Hip surgery in 2014

• Underwent hip replacement surgery, allowing him to return to touring (People)

Tour cancellation due to health in 2020

• Canceled tour schedule due to an undisclosed condition, later reported as not life-threatening (HELLO!)
• Rumors of stage 4 cancer are unsupported by any trustworthy source (The Independent)

The pattern: Jones’s health has been good enough for him to continue touring into his 80s, but the 2020 cancellation shows he is not immune to age-related issues.

Who was the love of Tom Jones’ life?

Every interview circles back to one name: Linda Trenchard, the girl he met when they were 12.

Linda Woodward: his childhood sweetheart and wife

• Met when they were around 12 years old in Pontypridd (HELLO!)
• Married in 1957 when she was 16 (The Guardian)

Their meeting and marriage

• Jones has said Linda was the “love of my life” (HELLO!)
• The bond lasted 59 years until her death in 2016 (People)

The bond that lasted 59 years

• Linda had lung cancer at least twice before her final illness (HELLO!)
• She also had emphysema, which worsened her health (People)

The trade-off: Jones’s romantic narrative is powerful because it’s simple, but it also leaves him exposed to the charge that his infidelity contradicted his devotion.

Why does Tom Jones not want to meet his son?

A paternity claim from the 1960s has never been resolved, and Jones has denied it without taking a DNA test.

The love child allegation

• A woman claimed Jones fathered her son in the 1960s (Mirror)
• Jones has denied the paternity claim without confirming or taking a test (Mirror)

Public statements from the mother and the son

• The alleged son believes Jones does not want to meet him (Mirror)
• No court order or forced paternity test has occurred (Mirror)

The catch: Without a legal resolution, the allegation will continue to shadow Jones’s legacy, but it has not damaged his career so far.

Was Tom Jones faithful to his wife Linda?

Jones himself has answered this question: he admitted to infidelity, but framed it as a product of fame and the road.

Admissions of infidelity

• Jones has admitted to being unfaithful during his marriage (Mirror)
• He claims his infidelity stemmed from the temptations of fame and loneliness on the road (Mirror)

The ‘real reason’ behind his cheating

• Jones said he was lonely and gave in to temptation (Mirror)
• He expressed regret and stated that Linda was the only one he truly loved (HELLO!)

Linda’s stance and forgiveness

• Linda reportedly forgave him and they stayed together (People)
• Jones’s autobiography says Linda had been agoraphobic, which may have contributed to the dynamic (Express)

The implication: For fans, the question is not whether he was faithful, but whether Linda’s forgiveness defines the marriage more than the infidelity itself.

Timeline

A decade-by-decade look at the key events in Tom Jones’s life.

• 1940 – Born Thomas Jones Woodward in Pontypridd, Wales (The Guardian)
• 1957 – Marries childhood sweetheart Linda Trenchard (People)
• 1963 – Debut single “It’s Not Unusual” released
• 1965 – Wins Grammy Award for Best New Artist
• 1969 – Begins long-term Las Vegas residency
• 1970 – Popular with songs “Delilah”, “Green Green Grass of Home”
• 1999 – Receives Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music
• 2006 – Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II
• 2016 – Wife Linda dies of lung cancer (People)
• 2020 – Cancels tour due to health concerns; rumors of serious illness unconfirmed (HELLO!)
• 2023 – Continues to tour and perform

The arc: Jones’s longevity in music is matched by the consistency of his personal anchor, Linda.

What’s clear and what’s not

Based on available evidence, here are the confirmed facts and the unresolved questions.

Confirmed facts

• Tom Jones was born June 7, 1940 (The Guardian)
• He married Linda in 1957 (People)
• Linda died in 2016 from lung cancer (People)
• He has one son, Mark (People)

What’s unclear

• Whether there is an illegitimate son (Mirror)
• Whether he has a current partner after Linda (The Independent)
• The exact nature of his 2020 health issue (HELLO!)
• Rumors of terminal cancer are false/unverified (The Independent)
• Whether he was knighted – widely reported but no source confirmed in this review
• Whether he sold over 100 million records – common claim but not sourced here
• Whether his infidelity was more extensive than admitted (Mirror)
• Whether his staph infection and hip surgery details are fully verified (HELLO!)

“I can’t imagine getting married again. Linda was the love of my life.”

Tom Jones to HELLO!

“There is no one else. I’ve loved only one woman.”

Tom Jones to The Independent

She forgave him for his infidelities, believing he truly loved her.

Linda Woodward (through People)

For the fan who wants to separate fact from fiction, the choice is clear: trust the sources that were closest to the couple—People, The Guardian, and The Independent—and treat tabloid claims with skepticism unless they produce legal or medical proof.

Frequently asked questions