The low-profile couple was last seen together in public attending the US Open in September 2025. Just a few months prior, in July, Cox had shared a touching birthday tribute to McDaid on Instagram to celebrate his 48th birthday. Alongside photos of him flying a plane and performing on stage, she wrote, "Happy birthday to the man who can do most anything. I love you always J."

Courteney Cox and Johnny McDaid break up

The pair's romance began in late 2013 after they met at a star-studded house party hosted by Cox. The relationship moved quickly, with the duo getting engaged just nine months later. However, by late 2015, they called off the engagement.

In a 2024 talk show appearance, Cox gave details of that initial 2015 split, revealing that it caught her entirely off guard during a couples therapy session.

"Three years in, we broke up, and it was really intense. We broke up in therapy. I didn't know it was coming, whether I should have or not," Cox shared. "He just broke up within the first minute. And I was like, what? We were engaged, and I was so shocked. I was in so much pain."

She later came to understand his perspective, noting that McDaid wasn't trying to maliciously surprise her. "He was in that much pain in the relationship," she explained. "There was that much that needed to be dealt with that he had to protect himself around his heart."

How a past split sparked personal discovery

Though the 2015 breakup was incredibly painful, the couple reunited in 2016 with a new boundary: they chose to stay together but skip the pressure of being engaged. Cox explicitly stated she grew to be "thankful for that breakup," as it forced her into a profound period of self-discovery.

"It really taught me how I operated in the world," Cox reflected. "What were the things from my childhood that I needed? Like, whether it was to be adored by men or things that I didn't know how to let go to be in a relationship. To not take things personally, my boundaries. I just went into myself and I had a great therapist."