Snow Patrol musician Johnny McDaid paid tribute to his new girlfriend Rosie at the BMI Awards on Tuesday, publicly declaring his love for her during his acceptance speech.
The 50-year-old Northern Irish singer and songwriter received the BMI President's Award in recognition of his contributions to songwriting. Addressing the audience during his speech, McDaid said: "There are of course many people I have to thank. My family that are here, Anya, Josh, Sheila and my partner Rosie, thank you for all your support and I love you."
The public declaration comes three months after The Mail on Sunday revealed in June that McDaid had quietly separated from actress Courteney Cox following more than a decade together. Reports at the time indicated that McDaid had already moved on and was in the early stages of a new relationship, which has now been publicly confirmed.
Amicable Separation After a Decade
McDaid and Cox, who were briefly engaged during their time together, are understood to have separated late last year. Friends of the couple told The Mail on Sunday that the split was entirely amicable and that the pair had simply reached a point where they were living different lives.
Confirming their separation, a friend said: "Johnny speaks incredibly highly of Courteney. They had a very deep relationship and they remain extremely amicable. They are great friends and care about each other very much. This was not an ugly split. They had simply reached a point where they were living different lives."
Cox, 62, best known for playing Monica Geller on the 1990s NBC television sitcom Friends, is based in Los Angeles, California. McDaid, a member of Northern Irish rock band Snow Patrol, is primarily based in London in the United Kingdom, though the couple had split their time between the United States and the United Kingdom.
The BMI Awards, presented annually by Broadcast Music, Inc., honor songwriters and publishers across the music industry. McDaid is a long-time friend and collaborator of pop star Ed Sheeran, having co-written several of Sheeran's biggest hit songs, including Shape Of You, Photograph, Galway Girl, Bad Habits, and Shivers.
Relationship History and Previous Separation
McDaid and Cox originally began dating in 2013 after being introduced by mutual friends, including Sheeran. They announced their engagement the following year in 2014.
The couple previously separated in 2015 before reconciling a few months later. Cox later reflected on the relationship in public interviews, admitting in 2016 that she had become codependent on McDaid and had struggled with how to regard love in the same way he did.
Speaking on the television series Running Wild with Bear Grylls, Cox said: "We were engaged for over a year and then we broke up. He's from Ireland. And the way he regards love is precious. We have to treat it in a different way. It's more special, you coddle it." She added that she had made mistakes involving codependency and people-pleasing, noting that she was thankful for the initial breakup because it ultimately made their relationship stronger. McDaid also previously spoke of feeling lucky to be in a relationship with the actress.
The pair were seen together in August 2025 on a double date in Malibu, California, with Cox's Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston and her rumoured boyfriend, wellness expert Jim Curtis. They were last photographed together in public at the US Open tennis tournament in September 2025.
