67-year-old singer enjoys the company of her young lover.
61-year-old British actor and former footballer Vinnie Jones told Chris Evans on his show on Virgin Radio UK the story of how American singer Madonna once turned down nearly $10 million for a 20-minute performance at the wedding of a friend’s daughter.
Jones gained widespread fame through his collaboration with British director Guy Ritchie: he starred in many of his films and is currently participating in the filming of the TV series "Gentlemen." From 2000 to 2008, Ritchie was married to Madonna, and Jones, being a close friend of the director, was also on friendly terms with the singer.
In a conversation with host Chris Evans on his show on Virgin Radio, the actor shared a funny story about how he asked Madonna to sing at his friend’s wedding.
"One of my friends came up to me and said, 'My daughter is getting married. A very, very, very rich guy. Can you offer her three million (pounds, in dollars - 4 million) for 45 minutes?'" Jones said, using the amount in pounds sterling.
Believing he could profit from such a deal, Jones agreed to act as an intermediary and went to Ritchie, who was then living with Madonna near the Beverly Hills hotel in California. He presented the offer, but Madonna declined, stating that she does not perform at weddings.
Upon returning, Jones relayed the response, but his counterpart was not deterred and offered around $7 million for a 45-minute performance.
"I come back again and say, 'My friend is willing to offer you five million ($7 million) for 45 minutes.' She replies, 'Vinnie, I don’t perform at weddings. I don’t perform at weddings.' I was devastated," Jones continued.
Next, according to him, the friend raised the stakes.
"I call him and tell him how it went. He says, 'Okay, seven million ($10 million) for 20 minutes at the wedding. My daughter loves her,'" he said.
Jones thought that "this is not a bad amount," and at the next meeting with Madonna, he waited for the right moment to bring up the wedding again.
The negotiations ended with Madonna repeating her famous line, 'I don’t perform at weddings,' after which Jones, he said, walked back disappointed with bad news.
"And I’ll tell you, actress Gwyneth Paltrow was also sitting on the couch, and seven million ($10 million) caught her attention. She looked at me like that, and I thought, 'She would probably sing herself for seven million, wouldn’t she?'" Jones concluded.
Let us remind you: 67-year-old Madonna is actively sharing family photos from Hanukkah, spending time with her 29-year-old boyfriend Ahlam Morris and her children at the end of 2025 – beginning of 2026. The singer has recovered from a severe bacterial infection in 2023, announced the re-release of her album "Bedtime Stories," and is working on a biopic, denying rumors of an impending wedding.
