Craig David is turning 40 today (May 5) and the musical superstar is one of the kindest and most enduring singers in the business.
But what do we really know about his private life?
The star has never been substantially linked to any girlfriends but he’s very close to his family and is very proud of his religion and dual ancestry.
He’s also firm friends with ITV chat show favourite Lorraine Kelly.
Daily Star shares all about the star’s life behind the music persona as he gets ready to celebrate the big four-oh.
Girlfriends and love life
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Craig has been single for much of his career, instead focusing on building his musical library and going on tours.
Even when the Hampshire-born star took a 20-year break from music, it didn’t appear he’d been with anyone of note, and he largely chose to keep his personal relationships out of the limelight.
It was reported that the hunk had entered into a romance with Colombian bombshell actress Sofia Vergara in 2003, but that was as far as it went.
Despite that, Craig has spoken on and off about his hopes for a great love over the years, and what he looks for in a girlfriend.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2018, the singer insisted he just wants the "authentic you".
"You know when you meet your twin flame," he told the publication. "My thing is to never really force it, or to kind of keep looking because it will hit you one time and you’ll just know."
Craig continued: "I hope I’ll find someone comfortable in themselves.
"I just want you to be the most authentic you. Not to conform, not to try to be anything different to what you are, because that’s what makes you beautiful."
Around the same time though, one fan of the singer revealed he wasn’t as chilled about dating as he made out.
"Just seen Craig David on a dating app," comedian Alexandra Haddow claimed in a tweet.
"And it’s a Monday…" she joked, referring to his iconic song Seven Days when the star croons about meeting a woman on a Monday and taking her for a drink on a Tuesday.
Family
Despite still hoping to find the one, Craig David is very close to one woman in his life – his mum Tina Loftus.
The R’n’B star regularly posts selfies of them together, alongside gushing tributes.
The pair are thick as thieves, and Craig has often commented how important she has been to him over the years.
Craig’s Instagram account is normally flooded with snaps documenting his latest projects and music releases, but another post dedicated to his dad during the height of the coronavirus pandemic last year was particularly moving.
Sharing an image sandwiched between his mum and dad for Father’s Day, the musical genius wrote: "Dad, thank you for being the wonderful man you are! Kind, caring, hard working & someone that will drop everything to help someone in trouble without even a second thought.
"Not only did you protect me and mum growing up, but you instilled such a deep sense of pride in every accomplishment I achieved however big or small which I will never forget and am so grateful for."
The star went on to say his dad was also the one who "nurtured" his interest in music, being a bass guitarist himself and enthusing about reggae music for days on end.
"I look back now and realise just how much you showed up when it mattered and I just wanna say I Love You Dad & thank you for just being you," Craig finished.
Friendship with Lorraine
Scottish presenter Lorraine Kelly has never been shy about her love for Craig, and the pair have become firm friends over the last several years.
The singer has appeared on her ITV chat show on more than one occasion, and the pair have even shared hilarious nights out and party memories behind the scenes.
The music legend and presenting queen are an unlikely duo, but they clicked during a 60-mile trek through the Kenyan desert raising money for Comic Relief in 2011.
An intense experience by anyone’s standards, the walk provided the time for the pair to share their deepest thoughts, hopes and dreams and their bond has been cemented ever since.
Lorraine has even shown up to some of Craig’s gigs.
Speaking on Heart Radio about one of their wild nights out, the singer told listeners the chat show host had come to Marbella with her daughter.
"She came to the show, she was turning up and dancing like crazy and I was like Lorraine you need to come out more often because you are putting half these 21 year olds to shame," he laughed, adding he has "got so much love for Lorraine".
Another moment in the pair’s friendship was when they reflected on the time Craig had washed his friend’s feet and looked after her during the painful and difficult process walking through the African desert.
Sharing the memory on her 60th birthday with a visit from Craig to her show, Lorraine told viewers: "I was really suffering really badly. Craig saw I was struggling and picked me up and put me down under some scrubland."
"He then washed my feet and bandaged them up," Lorraine continued, as Craig said simply: "I could tell you needed some TLC. You were amazing."
The singer went on to add part of the reason he respects and loves his friend so much is her uncanny ability to stay positive, and that she is determined to lift people up.
"Every time I've met you, you have this consistency of uplifting people, which is just amazing," he added.
Outside of his relationships and career aspirations, Craig David is also a devout Jew and activist, regularly getting involved in charity work in the UK and other countries.
The star also recently spoke of "knowing both sides" of the Black Lives Matter movement and the focus on antisemitism.
His mum is Jewish and his dad is of Grenadian heritage, but Craig grew up in Southampton.
The 39-year-old musician has taken part in a number of Zoom video calls and discussions over the last year since the pandemic took hold where he’s discussed his struggles with the recent movements and trying to support both communities.
During a live-streamed Q&A session for JLGB’s Virtual Summer Extravaganza, he explained: "You don’t really see the duality… I was really blessed to experience so much different culture and would like to think I could be an inspiration for anyone of mixed backgrounds," adding his hometown was all about "community".
Craig’s last new album was The Time is Now, released in 2018, and was a commercial and critical success.
The singer is yet to announce his next major project.
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