NEWSBilly Idol Isn't Shocked He Conceived a Secret Child During Rebel Yell Tour in 1985
The famed artist conceived a secret son in 1985.
June 25 2025, Published 1:10 p.m. ET
Billy Idol is opening up about conceiving a secret child during his Rebel Yell tour in 1985 after the bombshell was revealed in the Billy Idol Should Be Dead documentary, released at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 10.
After the documentary premiered, the singer — whose real name is William Michael Albert Broad — dished in an interview about how he wasn’t surprised he had a long-lost child, admitting he had a lustful past.
Billy Idol Embraces His Secret Son
Billy Idol said he wasn't shocked he conceived a secret child in the '80s.
“Maybe a little bit, but the more I thought about it, I guessed there must be something like that,” he said after being asked if he was surprised when he found out.
“Because we were going around in the ’80s and ’70s, just having knockdown, drag-out s-- with a million people you didn’t know,” the “Dancing With Myself” artist added of his promiscuity. “A lot of people in the rock world got children beyond their usual relationships.”
How Did Billy Idol Find Out About His Secret Son?
The musician found out about his long-lost son only a few years ago.
Although Idol reportedly didn't know about his son until 2023 — 38 years after conception — the singer noted he doesn't believe he has any other secret kids. “I think we would know about them now if there were,” he said.
Idol’s daughter, Bonnie Blue Broad, was the one to break the news to him that he had a secret son somewhere in the world, as Bonnie took a 23AndMe DNA test — leading her to learn of her half-sibling, Brant Broad, who lives in New York.
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Billy Idol 'Loves' His Secret Son
Billy Idol claimed he and Brant Broad are 'good friends.'
As for his relationship with Brant, Billy revealed in his interview, “We’re quite good friends, and I love him. He’s a nice guy.”
The “Sweet Sixteen” singer went on to gush over his family and how they’ve bonded since he embarked on his sobriety journey after a 1990 motorcycle accident nearly cost him his leg.
“I’m in a better place in my life. In lots of ways, I’ve done everything I wanted, at least to my own satisfaction,” he stated. “And now I’m not a drug addict; I can really be there for them.”
The artist has a total of three children.
Before he found out about Brant, the 69-year-old was under the impression that the two kids he had cared for since birth, Bonnie and Willem Broad, were his only offspring.
Billy welcomed Bonnie with Linda Mathis in 1989, one year after he and Perri Lister welcomed Willem. Despite revelations about Brant, the identity of his mom is unknown.
