36-Year-Old Man Defends His Marriage To 82-Year-Old Wife & Says He’s Not A Gold Digger

An 82-year-old English woman, Iris Jones, from Weston-super-Mare in Somerset has found love again after meeting 36-year-old Mohamed Ibriham via Facebook. After a lengthy internet-enabled courtship, the two finally met in Egypt. Jones said she “was shocked by how tall he (was). He’s 6ft 2in and (she’s) a foot smaller but he just gave me a huge hug.”

Despite speculation surrounding their relationship, the couple married in Cairo in Nov. 2020. Jones defended her decision to marry the much younger man, when she said, “I’ve always been a bit of a rebel and he’s just perfect for me.”

Jones, who divorced her first husband 40 years ago, stated, “I’ve spent years making other people happy, now I just want to marry the man I love before I die.” Ibriham agreed, echoing her sentiment when he said: “Love has no age and knows no limits. Iris and I found we understood each other well and felt the tenderness. I do not care about anyone’s opinion.”

While in Africa, the two spent their time enjoying each other’s company. Jones reported that they “were quite frivolous, going out to the best restaurants all the time and (splitting) everything 50/50.” She was insistent that their relationship had no financial motivations.

“If he’s marrying me for my fortune he’ll be sadly disappointed because I live on a pension,” she stated before she added: “I don’t suffer fools gladly. I’m honest and I’m truthful and I told him straight away he couldn’t be a freeloader.” She reminded her critics that Ibriham said he’d “sign a prenup because it’s me he wants – not my house.”

Ibriham also commented on the assumption that he’s a gold digger when he said:

“Iris is wonderful, understanding and compassionate. We share the same views about lots of things. I’m not interested in Iris’s money … It is not right people look at everything through materialism. If they do, they have no feelings.”

To further dispel any question of uneven footing in their new marriage, Jones said:

“We are absolutely equal in every way. He’s not using me. If anything I’m using him because my love for him is selfish – I’m not going to let him go.”

Jones insists the two are simply well-matched, a connection that supersedes their age difference. “We are both Virgos. I think that’s why we get on. We are soulmates. He’s a very intelligent man and was looking for an intelligent woman.” Moreover, Jones proudly stated, “I don’t look my age and I’m fit and healthy, but it’s definitely a case of brains over beauty.”

And it hasn’t been all dissenters. While in Egypt, Jones met her husband’s family. On being introduced to his 70-year-old mother, she said: “she was marvelous and glad her son had found the woman he’d been looking for. She said age was just a number. We got on like a house on fire.”

However, Jones didn’t experience the same blessing from her own sons who remained guarded towards their new step-father. Her 56-year-old son Darren said: “I just want to stay on the fence. She’s old enough to make her own mistakes.” In response to their attitude, Jones said, “I’ve done a lot for my boys over the years and I want them to understand that it’s time for me to be selfish now and look after myself.”

Jones has been public with her story and has even appeared on “This Morning” with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby multiple times. The first two times she appeared without Ibriham and spoke about how all she wanted was to be reunited with her love. Finally, after Ibriham’s visa went through, the couple appeared on the show together in Nov. 2021. Jones spoke about how difficult it was to wait so long for her husband to be able to come over to the UK. She said:

“(I was) living day-to-day. You know, it was like living on a knife edge … messaging morning, noon and night, and that got boring. You know (wondering) when is he going to come over.”

When it came time for their reunion at the airport, Jones said the moment felt “surreal.” When the hosts brought up the negative reaction that people had about their relationship and asked whether that had spoiled it for them, Jones said:

“No, because love conquers all.”

She added that they were going through some small problems, what with Ibriham adjusting to life in the west, while she had to adjust to having a man around in the house. She joked that he had become tidier, while Ibriham jokingly called Jones “fussy.” The couple also spoke about having their life story made into a movie and discussed who would play them in the film about their lives.

Then, in a tender moment, Ibriham thanked the hosts of the show and people from all over the world who had supported their love story, “because it’s true.”

Where do you stand on Iris Jones and Mohamed Ibriham’s whirlwind romance? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family and fellow Romeo & Juliets!