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Daisy May Cooper: Kids, Divorce, Sobriety, ADHD, and More

James Henry Brown Smith • 2026-05-13 • Reviewed by Sofia Lindberg

There’s a certain magic in watching someone make you laugh while quietly battling battles you’d never guess. Daisy May Cooper, the BAFTA-winning star of This Country, has turned personal turmoil into public connection — from a late ADHD diagnosis to divorce, sobriety, and grief, with the full story behind the laughter.

Born: 1 August 1986 ·
Occupation: Actress, writer ·
Known for: This Country, Am I Being Unreasonable? ·
Awards: BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance (2018) ·
Children: 2 ·
Diagnoses: ADHD

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact date she began sobriety journey
  • Full reasons behind both divorces beyond public statements
  • Identity and full circumstances of friend who died
  • Details of ADHD medication or therapy regimens
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Co-parenting three children across two households
  • Continued advocacy for ADHD awareness
  • Ongoing sobriety and mental health journey

The following key facts table summarizes her essential details.

Key facts about Daisy May Cooper
Full Name Daisy May Cooper
Date of Birth 1 August 1986
Place of Birth Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England
Occupation Actress, writer
Known For This Country, Am I Being Unreasonable?
Awards BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance (2018)
Children 2 (Kit and Pip) with Tom Goodman-Hill; third child Ben with Will Chase
Spouse(s) Tom Goodman-Hill (m. 2016–2021); Will Chase (m. July 2023 – separated Oct 2024)
ADHD Diagnosed at age 34
Sober Since Approximately 2023

Has Daisy May Cooper got kids?

Number of children

Daisy May Cooper has three children. She shares two children — Kit and Pip — with her first husband, Tom Goodman-Hill (Hello Magazine (UK lifestyle publication)). In February 2024, she gave birth to her third child, Ben, with her then-husband Will Chase (Daily Mail (UK news outlet)).

Relationship with the father

Cooper co-parents with both former partners. After her split from Goodman-Hill in 2021, she began a relationship with Will Chase, marrying him in July 2023 (People Magazine (US celebrity outlet)). The couple announced their separation in October 2024 (The Guardian (UK national newspaper)).

Public remarks about motherhood

Cooper has been characteristically candid about parenting. She admitted in interviews to having a “favourite” child — a comment that sparked both laughter and debate. The actress has also spoken openly about the challenges of raising children while managing ADHD and balancing a high-profile career.

Bottom line: Cooper has three children from two relationships. The co-parenting arrangement now spans two households, a situation that tests any parent — but one she’s navigated with trademark honesty.

Why did Daisy May Cooper split with her husband?

The timeline of her marriages shows a rapid pattern of commitment and separation.

Timeline of the relationship

Two marriages, two divorces. Cooper first married theatre director Tom Goodman-Hill in 2016 (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)). That marriage ended in 2021. She then married businessman Will Chase in a July 2023 Ibiza ceremony (People Magazine (US celebrity outlet)). Just over a year later, in October 2024, Cooper announced their separation via Instagram (The Mirror (UK tabloid)).

Reasons cited by Cooper

Cooper has described growing apart from her partners under the pressures of fame and family. She has not given exhaustive public accounts of either split, but has acknowledged that her ADHD diagnosis — which helped explain impulsivity and relationship patterns — played a role in understanding past dynamics (GQ Magazine (men’s lifestyle publication)).

Impact on children

For Cooper and her three children, the second separation means navigating co-parenting across two households. Experts recommend that co-parenting plans for children with ADHD include consistent rules, reward systems, and regular parent meetings across both homes (YouTube — ADHD Co-Parenting Guide (parenting resource)).

Bottom line: Cooper’s two divorces share a pattern of rapid commitment followed by separation. Her late ADHD diagnosis has helped reframe past relationship struggles, though co-parenting three kids across two ex-partners remains a practical challenge.

The paradox

Cooper’s comedy draws from awkward, uncomfortable truths — yet her personal life shows that some truths aren’t funny at all. The same impulsivity that fuels her on-stage timing has, by her own admission, complicated her relationships off-stage.

Is Daisy May Cooper sober?

Sobriety timeline

Cooper has been open about giving up alcohol around 2023. She has described the decision as transformative for both her appearance and mental wellbeing (Evening Standard (London news publication)). The exact date she stopped drinking has not been publicly specified.

Reasons for quitting alcohol

Her ADHD diagnosis played a central role in the decision. Cooper has explained that she used alcohol to self-medicate undiagnosed neurodivergence, and that quitting was part of a broader effort to understand and manage her mental health (The Independent (UK quality newspaper)).

Impact on health and career

Cooper reported significant weight loss and improved clarity after stopping drinking. She has framed sobriety as foundational to her ability to parent effectively and perform under the demands of television production.

Bottom line: For Cooper, sobriety wasn’t a trendy detox — it was a medical and emotional reset triggered by understanding her neurodivergent brain’s relationship with alcohol.

Does Daisy May Cooper have ADHD?

Diagnosis process

Daisy May Cooper was diagnosed with ADHD and autism at age 34 (BBC News (UK public broadcaster)). She has described the diagnosis as a revelation that explained lifelong struggles with addiction, impulsivity, and emotional regulation (GQ Magazine (men’s lifestyle publication)).

Symptoms she experiences

Cooper has listed difficulty concentrating, emotional volatility, and a tendency toward addictive behaviours as key symptoms. She’s noted that these traits also fuel her creative work — the same impulsivity that makes daily life harder is what makes her comedy feel spontaneous and real.

Public advocacy and awareness

Since her diagnosis, Cooper has become a vocal advocate for ADHD awareness (The Independent (UK quality newspaper)). She shares her experiences on Instagram and in interviews, aiming to destigmatise late diagnosis and neurodivergence in women.

Bottom line: Cooper’s late ADHD diagnosis reframed her entire life — from addiction and relationship struggles to the very comedic instincts that made her famous. Her advocacy normalises what millions of undiagnosed women experience.

Why this matters

An estimated 50-80% of women with ADHD remain undiagnosed by age 18. Cooper’s public story — of discovering neurodivergence at 34 after years of misattributed struggles — reflects a widespread diagnostic gap in the UK and beyond.

Who was Daisy May Cooper’s friend who died?

Identity of the friend

Cooper has spoken about the death of a close friend on Loose Women in 2024, though she has not publicly named the friend or provided full details of the circumstances. The loss had a profound impact on her mental health, and she used the experience to connect with others facing similar grief (BBC News (UK public broadcaster)).

Circumstances of the death

Cooper has not disclosed how her friend died. She has been careful to protect the privacy of those involved, sharing only the emotional weight of the experience rather than specifics.

Effect on Cooper

The loss compounded other challenges in Cooper’s life, including her divorce and mental health journey. She described the grief as one of the hardest things she’s faced, but also noted that speaking openly about it helped both her and others.

Bottom line: While the friend’s identity remains private, Cooper’s willingness to discuss grief publicly reinforces her role as a celebrity who treats personal pain as a bridge — not a barrier.

Timeline

The following timeline marks the key milestones in her life.

Key milestones in Daisy May Cooper’s life
Date Event
1 August 1986 Born in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
2016 Married Tom Goodman-Hill
2017 This Country airs on BBC Three
2018 Wins BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance
2021 Divorced Tom Goodman-Hill
July 2023 Married Will Chase in Ibiza
2023 Diagnosed with ADHD and autism; began sobriety journey
February 2024 Gave birth to son Ben
October 2024 Announced separation from Will Chase

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Born 1 August 1986 in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
  • Won BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance in 2018
  • Has three children: Kit, Pip (with Tom Goodman-Hill), and Ben (with Will Chase)
  • Diagnosed with ADHD and autism at age 34 (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
  • Stopped drinking alcohol around 2023 (Evening Standard (London news publication))
  • Divorced twice: from Tom Goodman-Hill (2021) and separated from Will Chase (2024)
  • Advocates for ADHD awareness
  • Spoke on Loose Women about the death of a close friend

What remains unclear

  • Exact date she began sobriety
  • Full reasons for both divorces beyond public statements
  • Identity and specific circumstances of the friend who died
  • Details of ADHD medication or therapy regimens, if any

In her own words

“Getting my ADHD diagnosis at 34 explained everything — the addiction, the impulsivity, the chaos. It was like someone finally handed me the instruction manual for my own brain.”

— Daisy May Cooper, interviewed by GQ Magazine (men’s lifestyle publication)

“The loss of my friend was devastating — but talking about it helped me, and I hope it helped others too.”

— Daisy May Cooper, speaking on Loose Women, 2024

“Quitting alcohol changed my face, my body, my mind. I can actually be present for my kids now.”

— Daisy May Cooper, Evening Standard (London news publication)

What it all means

Daisy May Cooper’s life is a study in contrasts: a comedian who makes audiences roar with laughter while quietly navigating ADHD, divorce, addiction recovery, and grief. Her willingness to share these struggles publicly doesn’t just humanise a celebrity — it gives real-world context to millions of women who discover neurodivergence late, who co-parent across fractured households, who wrestle with alcohol as self-medication. For the undiagnosed woman in her 30s still wondering why life feels harder than it should, Cooper’s story isn’t entertainment. It’s a mirror.

Frequently asked questions

What is Daisy May Cooper’s net worth?

Daisy May Cooper’s net worth is not publicly confirmed. Estimates from celebrity wealth trackers vary widely, and no verifiable financial disclosure has been made. Given her BAFTA win, BBC series, and growing profile, her earnings from acting and writing are believed to be substantial but unconfirmed.

Does Daisy May Cooper have a brother?

Yes. She created and starred in This Country alongside her brother, Charlie Cooper, who played her on-screen cousin Kurtan. Charlie is also a writer and actor.

What is Daisy May Cooper’s most famous role?

She is best known for playing Kerry Mucklowe in the BBC mockumentary This Country, which she co-created with her brother Charlie. She also wrote and starred in the BBC series Am I Being Unreasonable?

Where was Daisy May Cooper born?

She was born in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England, on 1 August 1986.

Is Daisy May Cooper related to Charlie Cooper?

Yes, Charlie Cooper is her younger brother. They co-created This Country and both appeared in it.

How old is Daisy May Cooper?

Born 1 August 1986, she is 38 years old as of 2024.

What awards has Daisy May Cooper won?

She won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance in 2018 for This Country. She also won the RTS Comedy Performance award.

Does Daisy May Cooper still perform comedy?

Yes. She continues to write and perform. Am I Being Unreasonable? aired in 2022 and 2023, and she remains active in television and public appearances.



James Henry Brown Smith

About the author

James Henry Brown Smith

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