Fifty-year courtship finally ends in marriage for Michael Winner and his leading lady

The 75-year-old, who admitted he once tried to sleep with every girl he saw, said his fiancee is not worried about his former womanising ways.

“She didn’t expect at this age of life to marry a virgin,” he said.

His bride is 70-year-old Geraldine Lynton-Edwards, whom he met in 1957 when he was a 21-year-old film-maker and she was a 16-year-old actress and ballet dancer. Miss Lynton-Edwards had a role in his short film The Square, which was released that year.

The food critic said: “It’s 50 years since I met the lady. You could say this is the longest courtship in the history of the world.

“We have been together for nine years and engaged for four years, so it’s the right and proper thing to do. And, of course, I love her.”

The couple will tie the knot at 1.30pm today at Chelsea Town Hall, with actor Sir Michael Caine and his wife Shakira as witnesses.

Speaking of his bride-to-be, Winner said: “She has a wonderful youthful spirit.

“We have many shared experiences, because we started being lovers in 1957, and have had an on-off relationship since then.

“She has been absolutely wonderful to me, particularly when I was seriously ill.”

Winner, who directed stars such as Marlon Brando and Charles Bronson, said he enjoyed his decades of philandering, but he has decided to calm down.

“I was dedicated to making love to every girl I saw,” he said. “Married or not.

“But there comes a time when you realise it really is unnecessary to do that until the day you die, if anyone is even capable of it. They were very nice, but that’s gone.”

The Sunday Times columnist will not be throwing a party for the wedding, because he said he had a big bash after the couple announced their engagement.

Instead they will go for lunch with close friends including the Caines, Sir David Frost, Chris Rea, Terry O’Neill and Lord Lloyd-Webber.