The Documentary Podcast
Sep 6, 2025
There’s plenty of chat on social media about so-called ‘grey divorce’. But are older people around the world really splitting up in record numbers?
The truth is it’s hard to be sure, because reliable figures on global divorce rates don’t exist. Where research has been done - most notably in the US - there’s some evidence that rising numbers of people are deciding to go their separate ways later in life.
We hear from three Americans, including 65 year-old Laura in Virginia. Her immediate feelings post break up - after almost 30 years of marriage - included loneliness and personal reappraisal.
“It was also a complete loss of my sense of identity,” said Laura. “I had my ex husband’s last name longer than I had my own name. I was a mother and my divorce coincided with my kids launching. So it was, okay, who am I now?”
For 68-year-old Steven in North Carolina, who split from his husband eight years ago, new relationships also required adjustment.
“It has taken time to rebuild that kind of trust on the emotional level,” he said, “and then taking your clothes off at 60 is different to taking your clothes off at 45!”
Two women from Malaysia and South Africa also reveal what grey divorce is like from an adult child’s point of view.
Hosted by Rahul Tandon. Conversations by Luke Jones.
A Boffin Media production with producer Sue Nelson in partnership with the BBC OS team and producers Iqra Farooq and Laura Cress.
