In 2014 Hucknall talked of his years as the lead singer of Simply Red and the life of excess that he led. He also talked of his alcohol addiction and how it wreaked havoc on his life. "I would say the worst period of my life was between 1997 and 2000. I was lost, I was all at odds. I needed a family I guess," he said.
However times have changed since his overwhelming fame and his boozing in the 80's and 90's. Hucknall and his partner, Gabriella Wesberry, had a daughter, Romy True Hucknall, in June 2007. Hucknall and his partner married in 2010, at the 16th-century Forter Castle in Scotland. He spends a considerable amount of time in Ireland, where he purchased the Glenmore Estate. Hucknall is now a keen fishermen, and operates a fishing and hunting tourism business from the estate. Simply Red is still an active band and they are set to release their latest album Blue Eyed Soul in November this year! Who knows when they'll retire?