Is Don Lemon Married? Does He Have a Spouse?

don lemon tim malone

Getty Tim Malone and Don Lemon attend the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on May 04, 2019 in New York City.

CNN anchor Don Lemon is not yet married but he is off the market. Lemon has been engaged to longtime partner Tim Malone, a real estate agent in New York City, since April 2019.

It’s unclear whether the couple has set a wedding date. Like many 2020 couples, the coronavirus pandemic may have put specific plans on hold. In the meantime, the two appear to be enjoying their engagement and often share photos of their family life on social media.

Here’s what you need to know:


Malone Used the Couple’s Dogs to Propose to Lemon

Malone was the one who popped the question on April 6, 2019. He surprised Lemon by switching out the dog collars with newly engraved tags that read, “Daddy will you marry Papa?” Lemon shared images of the dog tags on Instagram and wrote in the caption, “He gave me a present on his birthday. How could I say no?” (Malone’s birthday is April 6).

It didn’t take long for CNN viewers to start asking about when Lemon and Malone would tie the knot. Less than a week after he accepted Malone’s proposal, Lemon explained to People that they would take their time before walking down the aisle. “I’m just trying to enjoy this moment of bliss. And then, whenever we get married, we get married,” Lemon told the magazine. “The advice I get from most people is: Don’t become obsessed with the ceremony or wedding planning — just enjoy it.”

At the time of their engagement, Malone and Lemon had two dogs. They may not have gotten married yet but they did add a third rescue dog to the family. Their dogs’ names are Barkley, Boomer and Gus.


Lemon Kissed Malone on National Television to Ring In 2018

Lemon and Malone started going on dates in November 2016 but they’ve known each other for longer than that. In a November 2018 interview with Metrosource, Lemon explained that he and Malone first met at a restaurant in the Hamptons about a year and a half before their relationship became romantic. Lemon told the magazine, [Malone] was seeing someone, and I was playing the field. They broke up, and we got together, but we knew each other as friends for a year and a half.”

Lemon opened up about how he struggled to date before meeting Malone. The CNN anchor said he had a hard time trusting people’s intentions because of his job. “It’s probably why I was single for so long, ’cause I was just so focused on my career and probably not so trusting of people wanting to get into a relationship with me.”

Lemon also famously talked about his dating life during CNN’s New Year’s Eve celebration to kick-off 2017. Lemon and co-host Brooke Baldwin were at the Spotted Cat bar in New Orleans and Lemon continued to drink alcohol during the broadcast. Anderson Cooper even commented on the celebration on Twitter, writing “It seems @donlemon, @BrookeBCNN got the #CNNNYE party (and the drinking) started a little early down in New Orleans.”

During the New Year’s Eve broadcast, which was shared on YouTube, Lemon explained to Baldwin that he wanted to focus more on his personal life in 2017. In what might have been a pointed message to Malone, who was with Lemon at the bar that night, Lemon declared, “I may be open to a relationship this year. I wasn’t before.” Lemon added that he resolved to be less self-centered.

Lemon and Malone soon made their relationship public and the following year, the couple returned to New Orleans for CNN’s New Year’s Eve bash to ring in 2018. As the Huffington Post reported, Lemon and Baldwin invited their significant others to join them on-camera just after midnight. Lemon and Malone leaned into each other, with Baldwin in between, and kissed. Lemon then said, “I love you, baby! Happy New Year.”


Malone Started His Career Working in Media & Now Sells Real Estate

Malone is a Long Island native. He was born and raised in Water Mill, a census-designated area in the town of Southampton. He graduated from South Hampton High School in 2002 before majoring in journalism and history at Boston College, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Malone began his career in media but unlike his fiance, Malone focused on the marketing side of the industry. He worked for NBC Universal for seven years, beginning in the Page program before doing sales within the sports department. Malone wrote on LinkedIn that he “covered an extensive list of high profile sports properties, including the number one primetime sports event: Sunday Night Football, Premier League, NHL, Notre Dame, Triple Crown, French Open, Tour de France.”

Following stints at Billboard and Jukin Media, Malone decided to pivot and enter real estate. He became a real estate agent with the Corcoran Group in 2018. He moved on to Douglas Elliman in February 2020. Malone’s listings include several multimillion-dollar properties in Manhattan.

According to his Instagram bio, Malone also sells real estate in the Hamptons. Malone and Lemon split their time between their home in Harlem and a second home in Sag Harbor on Long Island, based on their respective social media pages.

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