Meet George Ford’s wife Atdhetare Hoxha who fled war-torn country and found success

The England rugby team don’t have an enviable record at the moment, with five straight losses, but vice-captain George Ford will be aiming to overturn that in Sunday’s match against Japan.

The rugby ace will be cheered on from the audience by his wife Atdhetare Hoxha, who is a successful restaurateur. However, Atdhetare has an incredible life story, with the businesswoman previously being a child refugee who fled from her home country, arriving in the UK without being able to speak English.

Child refugee

Atdhetare was born in Kosovo, however, she and her family were forced to flee after their house was bombed during the Kosovo War.

The family arrived in Oldham with nothing and none of them being able to speak English. However, Atdhetare’s father preserved, becoming a kitchen porter where his English improved.

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Reflecting on her family’s experiences, Atdhetare reflected: “I came here as a refugee aged four during the Kosovan War. We had a great life back home. We had family businesses but they were taken away from us in a heartbeat.

“My dad started as a kitchen porter to improve his English. He always worked in restaurants, that’s where the passion comes from. When we came here, we had nothing.”

Career

Although she initially pursued an apprenticeship in hairdressing, the mum-of-one discovered that her true heart laid in the culinary business. In 2020, Atdhetare opened her Italian restaurant, Sorella, located in Saddleworth.

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Her family run a total of four restaurants in the Greater Manchester area.

Relationship with George

It’s unclear how George and Atdhetare first met, but the couple married on 15 August 2022 and welcomed their daughter, Alarnia, on 23 March 2024.

Speaking about his baby girl, the father-of-one said: “I always thought playing for England was the biggest thing in my life, but I know different now. There’s nothing like being present at the birth of your first-born, and I really do mean nothing.“

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George is incredibly proud of his wife and speaking to the Times in 2023 about her career, the rugby star shared: “She does a bit of everything. She is the manager but if there is a problem, or a chef is ill, she will go in there and get her chef’s gear on.

“She is so hard-working. The only good thing me and [my brother] Joe can do is make coffees or load the dishwasher.”