Damon Albarn was seen enjoying a low-key stroll with a new female companion earlier this week, two years after his much-publicised split from Suzi Winstanley.
The Blur frontman, 57, stocked up on snacks during an outing with his mystery woman in the capital.
Damon cut a casual figure in a white T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, while his companion sported a camouflage jumpsuit.
The pair were seen taking their pet pooch for a walk before heading into the corner shop to pick up some essentials.
Back in 2023, The Mail On Sunday revealed that despite trying hard to save their relationship, Suzi ended things with Damon after 25 years together.
Sources close to the couple, who shared daughter Missy, 25, said that it was ‘kept a bit secret’ and only those who had to know were told.
Damon Albarn was seen enjoying a low-key stroll with a new female companion earlier this week, two years after his much-publicised split from Suzi Winstanley
Back in 2023, The Mail On Sunday revealed that despite trying hard to save their relationship, Suzi ended things with Damon after 25 years together (pictured in 2021)
The Blur frontman stocked up on snacks at a corner shop during an outing with the mystery woman in the capital
It was also revealed that they struggled with the Blur frontman’s travelling schedule and his insistence that he spent much of his time at their Devon home where he has converted some of the space into a recording studio.
One friend: ‘Suzi was so heartbroken that she hardly told anyone. She really, really tried but the relationship just could not be saved.
‘It has been so sad for her, I suppose once you share news like that around it makes it all very final.’
Suzi was said to be so heartbroken that she has been unable to listen to Albarn’s latest album, The Ballad of Darren.
Many of the lyrics tell the story of their romance which began in the late 1990’s following Albarn’s split from Elastica star Justine Fleischmann.
In a song called The Ballad, the lyrics say: ‘I just looked into my life/And all I saw was that you’re not coming back.’
Other lyrics hint that Albarn who is also known for virtual band Gorillaz, placed himself at fault for the breakdown of the relationship. The album’s second track St Charles Square features the opening lines: I f***** up/I’m not the first to do it.’
Albarn had moved into a two-bedroom flat in Ladbroke Grove and got in cartoonist friend Jamie Hewlett as a housemate.
Damon cut a casual figure in a white T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, while his companion sported a camouflage jumpsuit
The pair were seen taking their pet pooch for a walk before heading into the corner shop to pick up some essentials
Sources close to Damon and Suzi said that it was ‘kept a bit secret’ and only those who had to know were told
Suzi was said to be so heartbroken that she has been unable to listen to Albarn’s latest album, The Ballad of Darren
He had been invited onto Libby Purvis’s Radio 4 chat show Midweek, where Winstanley had also been a guest, due to her Olly and Suzi partnership, which specialised in collaborative painting of endangered wildlife.
As Hewlett and Albarn began coming up with the idea for the Gorillaz project, they would hold get-togethers in the property.
The Girls and Boys singer recalled in an interview with the Sunday Times in 2008: ‘We had some incredible parties in the flat.
‘Some very interesting people came through our door during that year.’
One of them was Winstanley and by the end of 1999 they had moved into a house together and welcomed their daughter, Missy.
He previously described becoming a father as ‘witnessing a life force’ in an interview with Esquire.
He said: ‘It massively changes you. It slowly sort of shaves off the unpleasant thorny bits and hopefully creates a nicely rounded [life].
‘I don’t know, having a kid, inevitably you look to the future far more.’
The pair kept most details of their private life under wraps, but Albarn would reveal snippets on rare occasions.
He disclosed that they would never tie the knot due to a fundamental lack of interest in the institution.
Albarn remarked on one occasion: ‘I don’t think she’d marry me. Suzi doesn’t believe in marriage, and nor do I.
‘It’s been so ruined by everybody who’s got divorced.’
And travel needed for Olly and Suzi’s work ignited an interest in African music for Albarn.
But speaking to the Guardian in 2003, he insisted he would never talk about his life behind closed doors.
Albarn had moved into a two-bedroom flat in Ladbroke Grove and got in cartoonist friend Jamie Hewlett as a housemate
The pair kept most details of their private life under wraps, but Albarn would reveal snippets on rare occasions
He disclosed that they would never tie the knot due to a fundamental lack of interest in the institution
Speaking to the Guardian in 2003, Damon insisted he would never talk about his life behind closed door
He insisted: ‘I appreciate that people want to fill in the gaps, and I know it’s annoying, but I just don’t want to talk about my private life’
‘I never have done and I never will. I’m consistent in that. I haven’t spilt the beans on anybody,’ he added
And for clues on how Albarn felt about the end of his time with her, the record The Ballad of Darren gave some hints
He insisted: ‘I appreciate that people want to fill in the gaps, and I know it’s annoying, but I just don’t want to talk about my private life.
‘I never have done and I never will. I’m consistent in that. I haven’t spilt the beans on anybody.’
Whatever the reason for the relationship ending, it appeared that Winstanley was still very much a fan of Albarn’s music.
She was in the crowd at Wembley just weeks after their relationship ended to watch Albarn perform with Blur.
And for clues on how Albarn felt about the end of his time with her, the record The Ballad of Darren gave some hints.
In a song called The Ballad, the lyrics simply say: ‘I just looked into my life/And all I saw was that you’re not coming back.’
