Ian Garry and his wife, Layla Machado Garry, also known as Layla Anna-Lee, recently found themselves at the center of controversy for various reasons after her book How to be a WAG went viral
One source of the controversy emerged from a book written by Anna-Lee in 2012 titled โHow to be a WAG,โ where WAG stands for wives and girlfriends, particularly of elite athletes.
The controversy Initially arose from the significant age difference between the couple, with Anna-Lee being 14 years older than Ian Garry.
What is the How to be a WAG book by Layla Anna-Lee wife of UFC fighter Ian Machado Garry about
Ian Garry is married to a 40 year woman (heโs 26)
And taken her last name
And his wifeโs ex husband lives in the same house as them
And his wife has written a book called how to date young, rich athletes
You cannot make this up pic.twitter.com/XtpcvE2nVY
— Hassan Haider (@MrOverpaid) November 25, 2023
The Ian Garry rabbit hole just gets deeper and deeper ๐ pic.twitter.com/d3Vzrkydwn
— UFCStats๐ญ (@TheUFCStats) November 26, 2023
Subsequently, further scrutiny followed regarding Garryโs decision to change his surname post-marriage from Garry to Machado-Garry, incorporating his wifeโs maiden name, Machado.
Complicating matters, news surfaced about Anna-Leeโs ex, Richard Cullen, who happens to be Ian Machado Garryโs nutritionist.
Who is Layla Anna-Lee?
Layla Anna-Lee, a Brazilian-British television presenter born to a Brazilian mother and a British father, has made a name for herself in sports broadcasting and childrenโs entertainment.
Her career includes notable stints with Nickelodeon, Eurosport, Sky Sports, ESPN, and BT Sports. Despite her professional achievements, the controversy surrounding her marriage brought attention back to her 2012 book, โHow to be a WAG,โ which is currently facing criticism despite its humble 1-star rating on Amazon.
‘How to be a WAG’ Book
Interestingly, the book has regained notoriety due to Anna-Leeโs marriage to the much younger athlete, Ian Garry, echoing the themes discussed in the book.
Published on March 25, 2012, by Create Digital Publishing Ltd, the book is a concise 11 pages and targets a niche demographic referred to informally as โGold Diggers.โ It offers guidance to aspiring โWAGs,โ advising them on how to pursue a lavish lifestyle by forming relationships with wealthy athletes, specifically targeting English Premier League footballers.
The book delves Into aspects such as diet, makeup, partying, and interactions with paparazzi, all aimed at attracting top footballers. In its initial release, the book highlighted players like Fernando Torres, who was a prominent figure as a striker for Liverpool FC at the time.
Despite the lack of success upon its initial publication, the book gained notoriety years later as a controversial piece. In response to the renewed attention, Layla Anna-Lee took to Instagram to clarify the bookโs intention, emphasizing its sarcastic nature.
She explained that the book was meant as a commentary during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where British humor and sarcasm might not have been well-received, particularly by American audiences.
She asserted that the book should be viewed in the context of that time and emphasized that the term โWAGโ had nothing to do with age, serving as a humorous take on the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which she covered.