Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch gets engaged at 92, set to marry for 5th time
Media magnate Rupert Murdoch announced on Thursday that he plans to wed his girlfriend, Elena Zhukova, in June, The New York Times reported. Murdoch has been married four times before.
FollowMedia mogul Robert Murdoch, 92, has become engaged to his girlfriend, retired Russian molecular biologist Elena Zhukova, 67. The pair were dating for several months. His turbulent personal life frequently provides material for the tabloid newspaper business, which he helped establish over three continents.
Last year, Murdoch announced his engagement to dental hygienist-turned-conservative radio host Ann Lesley Smith, but called off the planned nuptials less than a month later.
Zhukova was previously married to Russian oil billionaire Alexander Zhukov. According to The Times, her daughter Dasha Zhukova, an entrepreneur and art patron, was formerly wed to Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich. According to reports, Murdoch's wedding would be at his Moraga winery and home in California.
All about Murdoch's personal life
Murdoch's last marriage was to model Jerry Hall, former long-term partner of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. Murdoch, who has six children, was first married to Patricia Booker, an Australian flight attendant, whom he divorced in the late 1960s. He and his second wife, Anna Torv, a newspaper reporter, were together more than 30 years before divorcing in 1999. His third marriage to Wendi Deng ended in 2013.
All about Murdoch's business life
The media tycoon began his professional life in Australia in the 1950s and acquired the UK tabloids News of the World and The Sun in 1969. He also bought other US magazines, such as the Wall Street Journal and New York Post. In 1996, he founded Fox News, which is currently the most popular TV news network in the United States. Through News Corp, which he created in 2013, he continues to possess hundreds of local, national, and worldwide media businesses.
Murdoch has had a contentious career. His British tabloid, News of the World, closed as a result of a phone hacking incident in 2011. Murdoch has also come under fire for his alleged unethical behavior and biased reporting, as well as for his influence on political matters. He has given his son Lachlan the reigns since September and subsequently assumed the position of Chairman Emeritus at Fox and News Corp.
