Synth-pop artist Gary Numan has spoken about the early stages of his relationship with his wife, Gemma O'Neill, suggesting that some of their initial interactions might be considered illegal today. Numan met O'Neill when she was 12 years old and he was 22, at a fan event in the early 1980s. The two reconnected six years later, when O'Neill was 18, and began to get to know each other as she continued to attend his concerts.
Numan told The Times that he contacted a fan club O'Neill was part of to obtain her phone number in 1992, an action he quipped might be illegal. He stated he called her to offer condolences following the death of her mother, an event that also may be illegal to act upon under current regulations, he suggested. O'Neill initially thought it was a prank call, Numan recounted, and questioned him to confirm his identity.
Their first date took place at a Little Chef restaurant, a choice Numan described as down-to-earth. He and O'Neill married in 1997 and have since had three daughters: Raven, Persia, and Echo. O'Neill had previously shared that her initial admiration for Numan began as a schoolgirl crush when she was 11. Her father, who worked at Warner Bros., arranged for her to meet Numan and get a single autographed. She recalled being overwhelmed and telling him she loved him.
O'Neill characterized their first date as "really cute" and noted that her schoolgirl crush evolved into genuine feelings, though she maintained a sense of perspective, acknowledging that the relationship could end at any time.