Bono on wife Ali: 'She's an elusive character and sees me as a figure of amusement'

The U2 frontman has been married to Ali Hewson for 32 years and they have four children together. But the 54-year-old musician admits she still keeps him on his toes.

"When we’re leaving for tour, my family is in very good humour which is a real worry because I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you cry?' My missus has been playing hard to get for quite a while now and she’s an elusive character," he revealed to British newspaper The Sun.

"She’s not easy to get to know and other people’s praise holds not much sway for her. She’s a very independent, smart kind of girl, who, I think, sees me as a figure of amusement. Most of the time, I enjoy her company."

Read more:

Bono and his bandmates - The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. - are used to travelling the world to perform their hits for fans. Amid this, the Beautiful Day singer keeps himself grounded by making sure he's in regular contact with his inner circle.

"I hold on to people very tightly who I think can get me through,” he admitted. “They’re sitting at this table [his band mates] but Ali is also one of those people. I hold on to her much more tightly than she holds on to me.”

Despite being one of the most famous singers of his generation, also known for his humanitarian work, Bono still struggles with his flaws. However, he thinks his awareness of them is a positive thing.

Read more:

"To understand your weakness is your only chance of ever being strong. I’m a weak, flawed person. I have a wild side," he continued. "A different version of myself would be sleeping on the beach, or worse, floating out to sea. I’m an experimental character. A lot of people I grew up with have had difficult outcomes but I have a strong sense of survival, which is why I hold on to people.”