Britain’s most married man who has been ditched by his NINTH wife-to-be hasn’t ruled out finding another bride but someone “more mature” – around 30.
Aging Lothario Ron Sheppard, 69, fell for Filipino call centre worker Cristel Marquez – who is 41 years his junior – after chatting her up online.
He thought the 28-year-old was “the one” – until she walked out on him on Friday after being told by the Home Office she could no longer stay in the UK, he claims.
But speaking today (Mon) the great-grandfather refused to confirm or deny whether he was single – and didn’t rule out another marriage.
The retired holiday camp entertainer from Martock, Somerset, said: “She [Cristel] got a bit stroppy really.
“She was always sitting with her headphones in listening to music. To me she was a bit too young.
“The next will be a bit older. I get a lot of people who write to me on Facebook and they are all younger.
“I think I will look for personality next time and a sense of humour and someone who can speak English quite well.
“Somebody that’s a little more more mature for their age. The younger ones around about 30 are fine. Around 30 is the perfect age.
“I don’t know if I’ll get married again. You’ll have to wait and see. I haven’t ruled it out but these days you don’t have to get married.
“I haven’t decided. People have said if I keep going I’ll end up with a football team.
I think it’s a case of just wait and see.”
Asked if he was single, he joked: “No comment, no comment, just wait and see.”
Ron has been married eight times and his longest union lasted 13 years and the shortest was just 10 months.
Ron first got married in 1966, to Margaret. The couple had three children but divorced after two years.
Wife number two was Jeanette in 1973 and the marriage lasted a year.
Ron wed Lesley in 1976 and they had two boys. He left her five years later and she died in 1996.
Then came Kathy in 1982 and the couple had a daughter.
Ron married Sue in 1986 and had two boys before she threw him out 11 years later.
Usha from Singapore was next to tie the knot with him in 1999, followed by Wan in 2003 and Weng a year later. They split in 2015 and divorced in March.
He met Cristel more ten years ago, when she was 15 or 16 and part of a group of friends, while he was married to Wan – wife no. 7 – and living in Thailand.
Weng, 36, gave him the boot after 11 years’ marriage, and he proposed to mum-of-one Cristel, who arrived at his home last November.
But he claims she was refused a visa to stay in the UK, walked out on him on Friday, and is due to fly home on Wednesday.
“She has blocked me on Facebook,” he said.
“I went out and came back and the cases were gone.
“If there was another fella that would be out of character for her.
“She is a shy sort of person.
“She was upset that she had to go back but then again she wanted to go back because of her son. She hadn’t seen him for a year.”
Ron’s record:
Wife No1: Margaret in 1966. Had three kids and divorced after two years.
Wife No2: Jeanette, 1973. Lasted one year.
Wife No3: Lesley, 1976. Had two boys. Ron left in 1981.
Wife No4: Kathy, 1982. Had one daughter.
Wife No5: Sue, 1986. They had two sons, but she threw him out in 1997.
Wife No6: Usha, 1999. Ended after four years.
Wife No7: Wan, 2003. She left to go home to Bangkok after eight months.
Wife No8: Weng, 2004. Split up in 2015.
