Famous Fathers with Big Age Gaps Between Children: Bernie Ecclestone’s 70-Year-Old and 5-Year-Old

When Bernie Ecclestone revealed this week that his eldest child is 70 and his youngest is five, it was a jaw-dropping reminder of the huge age gaps that often emerge in families of famous men.

The F1 supremo is in good company with rockers Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger who started new families later in life with their much younger wives, leaving six decades between siblings in Bernie’s case. 

This week, Frasier star Kelsey Grammer, 70, announced that he recently welcomed his eighth child with wife Kayte and spoke about how being an older father has given him a ‘second chance’.

The actor, whose eldest son Spencer is 42, admitted to ‘neglecting’ the older ones and said that he tries to be more hands-on with the four younger children he shares with his wife Kayte. 

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said last year saw a ‘notable’ rise in the number of babies born to fathers in their sixties – with an increase of 14.2 per cent compared to 2023.

The growing number of men having children later in life comes after a string of celebrities have recently had children in their sixties, seventies and even in their eighties. 

The Daily Mail lists all the icons whose children have a huge age gap, after they welcomed kids later in life.

Bernie Ecclestone – 65 year sibling age gap

At 95, Ecclestone’s family tree is remarkable. His eldest daughter, Deborah, recently turned 70, while his youngest, Ace, has only just started school.

‘It’s quite something,’ Bernie previously said. ‘You look at your oldest and youngest and realise how much has happened in between.’ 

The Formula One boss welcomed his son Ace into the world with Fabiana Flosi, his third wife, and a Brazilian model 46 years his junior. 

Bernie was 89 years old when he welcomed the family’s latest addition in 2020.

The F1 supremo is already father to Petra, 36, Tamara, 41, from his second marriage to Armani model Radic, and also shares daughter Debora, 70, with Ivy, his first wife. 

Robert de Niro – 52 year sibling age gap

Robert De Niro became a new father for a seventh time aged 79 after he welcomed a daughter with his girlfriend in 2023. The 81-year-old had his first child in 1976. 

He has seven children: daughters Drena, 54, Helen Grace, 13, and Gia and sons Raphael, 48, twins Julian and Airyn, 30, and Elliot, 27. 

De Niro shares his youngest child Gia with his professional martial artist girlfriend Tiffany Chen, 45.

The Hollywood icon recently gave a rare insight into how he is finding parenting daughter Gia.

Speaking to Scott Mills on his BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in February, the Taxi Driver star revealed he doesn’t watch as many movies as he should because he often finds himself watching children’s TV instead.

‘I don’t watch as many movies as I should, I try to watch films especially that I’m to,’ he began.

The Godfather star continued: ‘I just wanna keep up, but I watch current events if you will news stuff like that. Now I watch with my little girl, The Wiggles and Ms Rachel.’

Mills asked: ‘Do you know about Bluey?’

‘I’ll look up, I’ll look for them,’ he replied.

The radio host added: ‘Please will someone write this down because this might change your life in terms of attention span. Do you know what I’m saying? Bluey and Hey Duggee.’

De Niro said: ‘The Wiggles and Ms Rachel I didn’t know of them until I started seeing them and my daughter loves to watch them… But they’re great!’ 

Rod Stewart – 48 year sibling age gap

Sir Rod, 80, who married Penny Lancaster in 2007, shares eight children with five different mothers. 

His four daughters and four sons range in age from 61 to 13.

Rod’s kids, of whom he says he is extremely proud and often takes group family holidays with each summer, are an eclectic bunch, ranging from an ice hockey player to a professional dancer, several models, one Celtic-mad 13-year-old, as well as the 61-year-old daughter he gave up for adoption when he was just 18. 

He and Penny are parents to Aiden and Alastair, 19, while Rod shares Renee, 33, with actress Rachel Hunter and also son Liam, 31.

Rod is also father to daughter Sarah Streeter, 61, whom he shares with ex-girlfriend Susannah Boffey.

Kimberly, 46, and Sean, 45, are Rod’s two children from his marriage to actress Alana Stewart. He also shares daughter Ruby, 38, with ex-girlfriend Kelly Emberg.

Mick Jagger – 46 year sibling age gap

The 82-year-old Rolling Stones rocker has eight children with different wives and his eldest and youngest children share a huge 46 year age gap.

Sir Mick is father to Karis, 54 (by Marsha Hunt); Jade, 54 (by Bianca Jagger); Lizzie, 41, James, 40, Georgia May, 33, and Gabriel, 27 (by Jerry Hall); Lucas, 26 by (Luciana Gimenez Morad) and Deveraux.

His latest family edition is 8-year-old son Deveraux Octavian Basil Jagger, whom he shares with ballet dancer and author Melanie Hamrick, 38.

In a previous interview Melanie opened up about their large age gap saying that she simply ‘doesn’t think about it’ and accepts that everyone is going to have their opinion and as long as she isn’t hurting anyone it is fine. 

The Rolling Stones icon and the former ballerina first met in February 2014 while they were both on tour at a Stone’s concert.

They didn’t become closer until the singer invited Melanie later on to join him for the rock band’s stop in Zurich.

Although they have never married, they have been happily dating now for ten years and in December 2016 they welcomed Deveraux.

Clint Eastwood – 43 year sibling age gap

Oscar-winning Clint Eastwood hit a major milestone this year, turning 95-years-old in May.

And in his lifetime, the Million Dollar Baby star has welcomed eight children with his ex-partners, with age gaps spanning 43 years.

The Million Dollar Baby director is dad Laurie Murray, 71, Kimber Lynn, 61, Kyle, 57, Alison, 53, Scott, 39, Kathryn Eastwood, 37, and Francesca Eastwood, 32, and Morgan Eastwood, 28.

He has always kept his family out of the spotlight and he has a good reason for that.

‘There are other people that are involved there and they’re vulnerable people,’ the Oscar winner told CBS News in 2004.

‘I can protect myself, but they can’t.’

His actor son Scott recently gave an update on his father saying he was ‘doing good’ adding that, ‘he’s a survivor, a trouper.’ 

It’s been nearly a year since the Oscar winner’s partner of a decade, Christina Sandera, died of a heart attack at age 61. 

Scott added that the Gran Torino actor is not one to express deep emotions or complain.

‘He was born coming out of the Great Depression, and then he was young during World War II. He saw a lot of struggle,’ Scott told People.

In an interview with Austrian magazine Kurier before his birthday, Clint said that at his age, he is in good physical shape and there’s no need to worry about his health ‘for a long time yet.’

‘There’s no reason why a man can’t get better with age,’ Clint said in the interview published on May 30. 

Kelsey Grammer – 42 year sibling age gap

Kelsey Grammer has added to his brood again after recently welcoming his eighth child, a son named Christopher, with his fourth wife Kayte Walsh. 

The Frasier star, 70, announced his baby news while appearing on Monday’s episode of Pod Meets World.

The actor has built a large family over the years with his children spanning in ages from 42 to his newborn baby.

As well as his new addition, Kelsey is father to Spencer, 42, Greer, 33, Mason, 24, Jude, 21, Faith, 13, Kelsey Gabriel, 11, and Auden, eight. 

Kelsey recently admitted he is trying to be a more hands-on father with his younger children after ‘neglecting’ the older ones. 

Speaking to People, he said: ‘I have neglected a couple of the kids in my life, especially the first two. 

‘I’m trying to make up for a little of it now. I’m still their dad, so you can always have [a] chance to show up.’

Ronnie Wood – 42 year sibling age gap

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, 78, has welcomed six children over the years, leaving a 42-year age gap between his eldest, who is 51, and youngest, nine-year-old twins.

The rocker and his wife Sally, 47, who wed in 2012, share twin daughters Gracie Jane and Alice Rose, 9.

Alongside his twins, Ronnie is father to son Jesse, 48, whom he shares with his first wife, Krissy Findlay.

He also shares sons Jamie, 51, Tyrone, 42, and daughter Leah, 47, with his ex-wife Jo Wood.

On expanding their family, Sally said in an interview with The Mirror previously: ‘I’d love to have twins again.

‘We’d be very happy if more arrive. Twins are much easier because they play together.

‘Twins again and then we have double everything. We are good to go. I’m 40 now but you never know.

Mel Gibson – 38 year sibling age gap

Australian actor Mel Gibson, 69, shares nine children with three different partners.

From his youngest son Lars, seven, to his eldest daughter Hannah, 45, the siblings share a huge 38-year age gap.

The Hollywood legend is also a devoted father to sons Christian, 43, Edward, 43, William, 40, Louis, 37, Milo, 34, Thomas, 26, and daughter Lucia, 15.

Mel shares his youngest son Lars with his girlfriend, screenwriter Rosalind Ross, 35.

The couple have been dating since 2014, when Rosalind was just 23 and Gibson was 58.

He shares teenage daughter Lucia with ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigoriev and his seven eldest children with ex-wife Robyn Moore.

Al Pacino – 34 year sibling age gap

85-year-old Hollywood icon, Al Pacino, is a devoted father to his four children: Julie, 36, twins Anton and Olivia, 24, and his youngest Roman, two.

Al shares Julie with acting teacher Jan Tarrant, and the twins with Coal Miner’s Daughter actress Beverly D’Angelo. 

He became a new father again aged 83 after The Godfather star welcomed his fourth child in 2023 with his girlfriend Noor Alfallah, 31.

He had his first child, a daughter, in 1989 and she is four years older than the mother of his fourth child. 

When Al Pacino was asked whether his decision to have a baby at 83 was because he had come face to face with his own mortality, he was flummoxed. 

‘Wow, that was something. I have to really think about that. I don’t know. Maybe? I don’t even understand it,’ he said, leaving the door open to the possibility. 

Noor made a rare public comment about their family equation, showering praise on Al’s abilities as a parent.

She has remained steadfastly private about her son – rarely allowing his face to be shown to the public – but described him as a ‘combination’ of her and Al.

While out and about in Beverly Hills in August last year, she was asked whether she would ever consider marrying Al and gave a surprising answer to TMZ. 

Noor had previously remarked that she had no intention of going down the aisle with Al, describing herself as ‘not the marrying type’ in November 2023.

However during her August interview, she was asked again whether she might tie the knot, and that time she replied: ‘I don’t know.’