Ronnie Wood runs off with cocktail waitress

Ronnie Wood, 61, has had a "life in the old dog yet" moment. According to the Sun newspaper, he has apparently left his wife for an 18-year-old Russian cocktail waitress, who he has whisked off to his home in Ireland. The newspaper claims that the Rolling Stone’s guitarist met Ekaterina Ivanova, a Muscovite who is based in London, on a drinking binge in April, following the premiere of Shine a Light, Martin Scorsese’s documentary about the Stones. Jo Wood, his wife of 23 years, claims that a shared love of alcohol is behind the pair’s dalliance.

"He’s drinking heavily — maybe two bottles of vodka a day," Jo says, explaining away what she considers an aberration on her husband’s part. She was aware that Wood and Ivanova, a petite blonde, had gone to Ireland, ostensibly so Ronnie could paint, but insists they are not lovers. "They’re not boyfriend or girlfriend — not in that way. I was quite all right that she was hanging around with him. They have been staying in Ireland and Ronnie’s art man was with them. Ronnie told me she was staying there and I said, ‘OK — get on with it and have a drink, go mad. Drink your guts up’. She [Ivanova] is mad — she is a terrible alcoholic."

However, this is not how the 18-year-old sees the relationship. The newspaper quotes a friend as saying: “She is absolutely besotted with Ronnie. Whether or not he knows it, she plans a future with him. She has told everyone Ronnie has left his wife for her and they are a full-on item.” Furthermore, Ivanova has used the social networking site Facebook to keep the world abreast of her “romance” with Wood, revealing she is “falling in love” with him.