Dougie Poynter facts: McFly star's age, girlfriend, family and career explained

22 November 2024, 17:21 | Updated: 22 November 2024, 17:36

Dougie Poynter emerged as a teenage heartthrob in 2003 when he joined McFly at just 15 years old, becoming the youngest member of what would become one of Britain's most successful pop-rock bands.

As bassist and backing vocalist, Dougie helped drive McFly to seven UK number-one singles and multiple platinum albums.

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Beyond music, he's established himself as an environmental advocate, children's author, and fashion influencer, walking runways for prestigious brands like Dolce & Gabbana.

Here's all the important facts about the talented star:

1. How old is Dougie Poynter and where is he from?

   

   Dougie Poynter was born on November 30th, 1987, and he celebrated his 36th birthday in 2023.

   He was born in Corringham, Essex.

   He was born Douglas Lee Poynter, though he's universally known as Dougie.

   Dougie parents are Gary and Sam Poynter, though they separated when he was young. His father left the family when Dougie was a child, which is something he has spoken about publicly as having affected him significantly.

   He has a younger sister named Jazzie Poynter.

   In the book McFly - Unsaid Things... Our Story, he discussed how his father's departure affected him, saying: "I didn't see my dad for about 10 years after he left. I remember the day he went – he was filling up his car with petrol before work, and that was the last time I saw him."

2. How did he get his start in music and when did he join McFly?

   

   Dougie started playing bass guitar when he was around 13 years old. He was inspired by punk rock bands and learned to play by practising along to albums like Green Day's Dookie.

   In 2003, when he was 15, he responded to an advertisement in NME magazine that was looking for a bass player to join a new band. The ad had been placed by Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones, who were putting together what would become McFly.

   

   Despite being the youngest person to audition, Dougie impressed them with his musical ability and personality.

   Initially, there was some concern about his age - he was still in school and would need his mother's permission to join the band. His mother Sam supported his decision, and he left school to pursue music full-time.

   He moved to London and lived with the other band members (Tom, Danny and Harry Judd) while they worked on their debut album.

   Dougie joined McFly in 2003, and they released their first single '5 Colours in Her Hair' in March 2004, when he was 16. The song went straight to number one in the UK charts, making them the youngest band ever to have a debut UK number one.

3. Who is Dougie Poynter's girlfriend?

   The most recent reports of Dougie's love life stated that he was in a relationship with actress Yasmeen Scott.

   The Sun stated that they had been dating for a short period back in early 2023.

   However, this has not been officially confirmed.

4. Who has he dated in the past?

   

   Dougie Poynter has had several high-profile relationships:

   1. Frankie Bridge - He dated The Saturdays singer from 2008 to 2010. Their relationship was quite public as both were in popular bands at the time.
   2. Ellie Goulding - His most publicized relationship was with singer Ellie Goulding. They dated from 2014 to 2016, attending many public events together including royal functions. Their split was reportedly amicable, and both have spoken positively about each other since.
   3. Maddie Elmer - He dated model Maddie Elmer from 2019 to 2022.

5. What has he done outside of McFly?

   

   In the music world, he formed the rock band INK in 2018 and has written songs for other artists, including collaborations with One Direction.

   In fashion, he has walked for prestigious designers like Dolce & Gabbana and launched his own clothing line called Saint Kidd. He's become a regular fixture at London Fashion Week and other major fashion events.

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   With his McFly bandmate Tom Fletcher, he's co-authored several successful children's books, including The Dinosaur that Pooped Christmas series. His commitment to environmental causes led him to write Plastic Sucks! You Can Make a Difference in 2019, and he's become a prominent advocate for environmental conservation, often giving talks on the subject.

   His TV career includes winning I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2011, and he's made various appearances on TV shows and panel programs.