Billy Idol is one of the beloved bad boys of rock and roll. He’s been labeled everything from an “MTV darling” to “a grizzled-yet-unrepentant survivor.” With his trademark black leather outfit, unruly platinum blond hair, and flamboyant stage persona, his presence is magnetic. Idol’s long career is filled with classic hit songs, like “Rebel Yell,” “White Wedding,” and “Eyes Without A Face.”
He has been linked with various women, some of them famous—but none of those relationships have led to marriage. In fact, some relationships were merely rumored and little is known about others.
Who were the women Idol has been involved with? Will he ever marry? His attitude about staying true to one woman does appear to have softened a bit from his younger days.
Idol Was In A Long-Term Relationship With Perri Lister From 1980 To 1989
Lister is a former dancer, singer, and actress who was a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip. She appeared in several of Idol’s music videos, including “White Wedding” and “To Be a Lover.” Their son, Willem Wolf Broad (Idol’s birth name is William Michael Albert Broad), was born on June 15, 1988.
Lister and Idol broke up that same year. Idol’s tendency to stray may have contributed to it. He candidly admitted his weakness for the ladies. “I loved Perri but I couldn’t help but have dalliances,” he told Louder in November 2016.
During a 2014 interview with CBS, Idol said that fidelity to one woman was not realistic for him. He put it in unsentimental terms. “It’s impossible” for him to stay true to one person, he said. “I mean, especially on a 10-month tour, on a bus, going from nowhere, from place to place…you wanted something to break up the monotony. And the only way to do it was [with] a piece of human flesh.”
He Cheated On Lister With Linda Mathis In 1988
Idol and Mathis had a daughter, Bonnie Blue Broad, in 1989. There’s very little information about the relationship; it may never have been serious enough to end in marriage.
Sonja Morgan of RHONY Claims They Dated While He Was Still With Perri
According to Bustle, Sonja Morgan of RHONY claims to have dated Idol. She reportedly claimed that their relationship took place while Idol was also with Perri Lister. However, there’s not much to substantiate or disprove these claims. Whether Idol was seeing both women simultaneously is not certain, and the nature and duration of Morgan’s relationship with Idol are also not known.
Melissa Gilbert Had A Short-Lived Relationship With The Bad-Boy Rocker In The Late ’80s
The pairing of Little House on the Prairie actress Melissa Gilbert with Idol seemed highly unlikely. Gilbert has a gentle, immaculate image, thanks at least in part to her role in the beloved television show. Idol, on the other hand, has made no secret of his reported drug use and untamed lifestyle.
Still, they hit it off after a chance meeting. Gilbert wrote in her memoir, Prairie Tale, that she unexpectedly warmed to Idol. “He impressed me as a sweet, gentle, and soft-spoken charmer.”
Idol subsequently asked her out on a date. She eventually ended their relationship after attending a raucous party he hosted at the Bel Age Hotel in Beverly Hills, then going with Idol to visit Rick James’ house, which Gilbert described as “the scariest place [she’d] ever been.” Perhaps she realized that she and Idol weren’t so compatible, after all.
He Was Linked To Shanna Moakler In 1997
Moakler, an actress and Miss USA 1995, told ESPN’s Page 2 in 2001 that she found Idol “cute” and “sexy.” She also said, “He’s got a great mind for history, loves to talk about philosophy, and he is very intelligent. He’s got a kid and is a great father.”
However, Moakler revealed that she thought the rocker was “horrible in bed.” Moakler ascribed Idol’s lack of amorous finesse to his never needing to cultivate it because women always flocked to him.
He Reportedly Dated Stylist Lindsay Cross Between 2008 And 2015
Little is known about Idol’s relationship with Cross. Closer reported that they started seeing each other in 2008.
Other than some public sightings of the two, there’s not much that’s clear about their romantic connection, if that’s what it was.
He’s Been Dating China Chow Since 2018
Chow, who has been a model for Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, has acted as well. She has been in shows like Burn Notice and That ’70s Show. Chow’s father, Michael, is the owner of the Mr. Chow restaurant franchise. Her mother, Tina, died in 1992. The New York Times referred to her as “an internationally acclaimed model, restaurateur, jewelry designer, sculptor, and fashion collector…”
Although Idol professed a dim view of fidelity earlier in his life, he seems to be sticking with his current girlfriend. Maybe that’s a function of calming down and acquiring wisdom and maturity over the years. In an interview with Louder, Idol said that he was no longer interested in cheating while in a serious relationship, but he didn’t necessarily see himself getting married.
When asked about his “lifelong bachelor status,” Idol said with a laugh, “I’m not giving everything up.” Time will tell if Idol decides to march down the aisle someday with a special lady or remain a happily footloose single guy.