Zack Polanski Wife? The Green Party Leader’s Private Life Tells a Different Story

A lot of people have been googling “zack polanski wife” ever since he was elected Green Party leader. The simple truth is – he doesn’t have a wife, because he’s gay. However, he does have a long-term boyfriend, and the story behind it is a little more intriguing than the Google search.

Polanski has leapt from the relatively unknown ranks of London Assembly members to a front-page talking point in British politics. Everything written about him has told us something about his background as a former actor and hypnotherapist, his politics, and his private life. Now it’s time to tell you what we really know about his private life.

Quick Biography

Full name	Zack Polanski (born David Paulden)
Born	2 November 1982, Salford, Greater Manchester
Nationality	British
Profession	Politician; former actor and hypnotherapist
Known for	Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since September 2025
Education	Drama degree from Aberystwyth University

He changed his name at 18 to his grandfather’s original surname, to honour his Jewish heritage.

Does Zack Polanski Have a Wife?

No. Polanski is gay, and he’s not been linked to a wife in the slightest. All these “Zack Polanski wife” searches probably originate from people looking for a wife for a prominent male politician. Some of it is probably a reaction to the similarity of his name to film director Roman Polanski (who does indeed have wives) – a connection I was unable to find.

What can be said is that Richie Bryan is Polanski’s partner for a long time and that they are living together in Hackney. So the correct question is “who is Zack Polanski’s partner?”

Who Is Richie Bryan?

Not much is public, and that seems to be how the couple likes it. Their relationship is generally private, though Bryan is clearly supportive of Polanski’s work. His social media shows him canvassing for the Greens alongside Polanski and celebrating his media appearances.

Some details are confirmed:

• Polanski’s partner works in palliative care.
• Polanski thanked his partner in his leadership victory speech.
• The couple has talked about fostering, but life is currently very busy.

There is a small discrepancy in timing. Some reports say they have been together since 2018, while others, citing Polanski’s own profile, say 2019. Either way, it is a relationship of around seven or eight years. They are described as partners, and I couldn’t find a reliable report saying they are married, engaged, or in a civil partnership.

From the Stage to the Green Party

Prior to entering politics, Polanski was involved in performance. He studied drama and was an actor and hypnotherapist, taught at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts and the National Centre for Circus Arts, and was a vocalist with the London International Gospel Choir.

His politics have been anything but a straight line. He was a Liberal Democrat for two years, between 2015 and 2017, before defecting to the Greens. He was elected to the London Assembly in 2021 and served as a deputy leader of the party in 2022. His career as a hypnotherapist has provided plenty of ammunition for his opponents and the tabloids, but it hasn’t stopped him.

The Leadership Win

In September 2025, Polanski became Green leader with 20,411 votes (3,705 votes for Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns) against the rival ticket. He has been called the first openly gay leader of a major UK political party.

The party has expanded massively under him. It is said membership increased from some 68,000 to more than 200,000, and there have been reports of figures as high as 225,000. There are slight variations in the figures, but the trend is consistent. Polanski had become the frontman of a more populist Green Party, and that has made his personal life a matter of public interest as well.

Being Open About Who He Is

He isn’t one to shy away from stating who he is and often refers to himself as a gay Jewish vegan. He revealed he was bullied throughout school because he was gay and Jewish and has spoken about a homophobic assault he suffered that “completely shattered” him. He is an advocate for the trans and LGBTQ+ community.

Coming out doesn’t mean he gives all about his mate. He speaks about being gay as a component of his politics and background, but he and Bryan don’t claim their domestic life. That’s most likely exactly why “Zack Polanski partner” and “Zack Polanski partner” are both of those going unanswered by anything detailed.

A Rumour Worth Clearing Up

There has been one bit of rumour-mongering about him. Polanski has come out and said that he has never dated Wes Streeting from Labour. But this is a handy reminder that the gossip about the love lives of politicians has outpaced the facts.

What We Don’t Know

Many sites out there throw out robust claims about Polanski’s family and money. Avoid those. Some “net worth” estimates for him exist around the web, but I wasn’t able to find any from a credible source, so I haven’t included one. The same goes for kids: None are publicly noted.

Final Thoughts on the Zack Polanski Wife Question

The end of the “Zack Polanski wife” search is a correction, not a name. Zack is gay, and his partner is a man – a palliative care worker named Richie Bryan, who is his ally in campaigning and lives with him in Hackney. The rest is unhelpful speculation, and there is no good reason to speculate.

Quick Answers Readers Often Look For

Readers usually want a few straight answers. Zack Polanski has no wife because he is openly gay. His partner is Richie Bryan, who lives with him in Hackney and works in palliative care. Reports put the start of their relationship in 2018 or 2019, and nothing reliable says they are married. No children are publicly reported, although the couple has spoken about fostering. Anything beyond this, from net worth figures to wedding stories, is unconfirmed and best treated with caution.

Celeb Writes