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Ariarne Titmus has swapped goggles for glamour, stepping away from the pool deck to recharge. WE’VE GOT THE SCOOP
Confidential
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Queensland swimming queen Ariarne Titmus has swapped goggles for glamour, giving The Scoop an exclusive glimpse into all the cheeky “firsts” she’s embracing since stepping away from the pool for a well-earned post-Paris Olympics break.
“I’ve done some things for the first time ever at almost 25 years old, which is, I’m having a lot of fun,” Titmus said.
From “just having a glass of wine on a Sunday night with Mum and Dad”, to attending the Formula One and “being able to actually go to the tennis for a couple of days and not have to train”, Australia’s golden girl revealed she’s soaking up every minute of freedom.
“I’ve really taken this break as a mental health break, really for myself, just to step back and enjoy a little bit of life and the people in my life,” she said.
“Don’t get me wrong, like there’s definitely certain elements that I miss from the pool, but I’m just trying to allow myself to enjoy what’s left of it.”
Titmus recently turned heads trackside at the Australian Grand Prix, looking loved up with new boyfriend Mac Powell.
But romance isn’t the only thing keeping her busy. She’s also enjoyed tropical getaways and the footy in Melbourne, and is soon to jet off to Spain for the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards, a trip her training schedule previously wouldn’t allow.
‘Batsh** insane’ conman pregnancy
Gold Coast TikTok sensation Cass Taulaki, known by her handle ‘Conscious Cass’, whose wild tale of falling pregnant to a conman who faked his identity went viral, appears to have given birth.
Taulaki captivated millions after revealing her rollercoaster romance with a man she met on a dating app who fabricated his name, job, family, and even ethnicity — claiming he was a Dubai-based civil engineer and ex-military serviceman.
“This is my story of how I fell for a man who wasn’t even real,” she shared on TikTok. “He lied about everything; his name, his age, his job, his family, his entire life.”
The scandal drew global attention, with celebrities like Abbie Chatfield and Christian Hull weighing in.
Hull famously described Taulaki’s viral revelations as “bats--t f--king insane”.
Fans have speculated Taulaki has welcomed her baby after she recently shared Instagram stories casually eating raw sushi — a known pregnancy no-no.
She previously said the elaborate scam left her financially drained.
With hundreds of other women flooding Taulaki’s inbox with eerily similar stories, the influencer says she plans to reveal more shocking details soon.
“The lies were so f--king big … they really rocked my entire reality,” she said.
Party time for rapper
Grammy-winning rapper Nelly had Brisbane feeling hot in here at the weekend, spotted hitting the town after his sold-out concert at Eatons Hill Hotel on Saturday night.
Following a packed-out show, the Hot in Herre superstar kept the party going at Fortitude Valley’s superclub Eclipse, hosting his official after-party into the early hours.
Flanked by private security and his entourage, guests were instructed to step back as the US rapper entered the venue, before Nelly grabbed the DJ booth microphone and treated the lucky few hundred fans to an up-close-and-personal performance.
Several guests described the atmosphere as “fun” and “party-like”, adding that the star appeared humble, relaxed, and genuinely happy to be there.
“It was wild seeing Nelly in Brisbane, he was loving it,” one guest told Scoop.
Game, set and matched wines
After years of Brisbane being considered a culinary backwater compared with southern states, two of the city’s most high profile restaurants have been chosen to showcase their wares at next year’s coveted Australian Open dining precinct in Melbourne.
Fortitude Valley’s Sushi Room and SK Steak and Oyster – both loved by Hollywood and music royalty – will roll out pop-up versions at the prestigious January tennis event, which is renowned for featuring exhibition versions of our most elite eateries.
The invitation to take part comes after Sushi Room debuted a unique court-side venue at this year’s championship, which was a huge hit, attracting A-list celebrities such as Jackie Chan, Liam Hemsworth and girlfriend Gabriella Brooks, and K-Pop phenomena Sana and Mark Lee.
“[The fact] we went down and did it and then they’ve asked us back and to ask SK as well, it’s pretty cool,” said the restaurants’ owner Simon Gloftis. “I think it’s Australia’s biggest and most special event and I feel pretty bloody lucky to be asked.”
While Sushi Room will continue with its intimate omakase-format of just 16 seats, including seats on centre court within arm’s reach of the coaches, the SK pop-up will feature a whopping 400-seat dining space – almost four times the size of the original version in Brisbane’s James St – taking over the former Rockpool Bar & Grill space.
Fern Barrett, Tennis Australia’s Head of Product Growth and Innovation, said Queensland’s dining scene had gone from strength to strength and they were thrilled to have it represented at the sporting spectacular in 2026.
“SK has made a name for itself as one of the most exciting dining destinations not only in Brisbane but in the country,” she said.
“There’s already been huge interest from fans excited to sample their incredible offering here in Melbourne, before taking in the world’s best tennis as part of our premium hospitality offering AO Reserve.”
In preparation for the Grand Slam, the AO will send an entire culinary team to SK in Brisbane for a month to learn the kitchen and the dishes. Works are also already under way on the fit-out for both the restaurant replicas, with Gloftis insisting SK’s signature piano be part of the experience. Tickets for the Sushi Room will start at about $5000 a seat, while SK prices are still being determined.
Nicka’s in a twist over bikini girl
After gaining a new social media following during Cyclone Alfred, comedic Gold Coast surf reporter Nick Atkins has a new cause célèbre. “Nicka”, whose colourful daily updates on Alfred’s destruction saw him sought out by Sunrise and The Today Show, has jumped on the theft of iconic sculpture Sun Spirit as his latest bit of reportage.
The life-size bronze sculpture of a bikini-clad sunbather was pinched from Currumbin Beach last week. Atkins offered two cartons of beer and some merch as a reward for info leading to the sculpture’s return. Now, hip Nobby Beach venue The Oxley has upped the reward with a $5000 voucher on offer.
Girdler on a journey
Ex-NRL pin-up boy Ryan Girdler is spruiking his wellness industry business after quitting his gig on Triple M. The former Blues State of Origin star left last month after 13 years on the station’s NRL team to focus on his family after his father-in-law, who lives in Europe, fell ill.
Girdler, a breathwork facilitator, has been plugging a $65-a-head event at a Burleigh Heads gym next month dubbed “The Athlete and The Alchemist”. Featuring Girdler and “spiritual mentor” Imra, it promises to take participants on “a profound journey of self-discovery”.
Major shake-up for Nine News
Nine News Brisbane has quietly slipped in a major newsroom shake-up, raising eyebrows and prompting rumours of tensions behind the scenes.
Social media updates and leaked internal emails confirm Natasha Dean-Jones has been promoted to Executive Producer, while Ben Stivala steps up as Deputy News Director.
But perhaps the most telling change involves respected sports anchor Jonathan Uptin, who’s quietly lost half his job title.
Despite his LinkedIn profile previously listing him as “Sports Editor and Sport Newsreader” (a profile that now appears either private or deleted), Uptin has now officially handed the Sports Editor reins over to reporter Adam Jackson.
In an email seen by Scoop, new Queensland Director of News Brendan Hocking enthusiastically described Jackson as “a fountain of ideas and passion,” adding he’s “very much ready” for the role.
However, Hocking was quick to emphasise Uptin wasn’t being sidelined: “AJ will have a tower of support in Jono Uptin, who I know is thrilled to see AJ tackle this new challenge,” he said.
The move, he explained, “will allow more flexibility for Jono to file special reports and continue anchoring Qld’s best sports coverage.”
However, the reshuffle follows a turbulent period for Uptin, once considered a contender to replace Karl Stefanovic on Nine’s Today Show.
Last year, he was temporarily sidelined amid an internal investigation alleged “erratic behaviour,” particularly during a work trip to Las Vegas to cover the NRL’s U.S. showcase.
Uptin voluntarily took and passed a workplace drug test and was cleared by an internal investigation.
He was notably dropped from Nine’s Olympic coverage in Paris at the eleventh hour, replaced by former Brisbane news anchor Andrew Lofthouse.
Despite assurances from Nine management that the Sports Editor role change is unrelated to past allegations and that Uptin maintains the network’s full support, insiders speculate it marks a setback in Uptin’s ambitions for higher-profile roles — including potentially filling Lofthouse’s recently vacated anchor seat.
Nine has yet to announce Lofthouse’s replacement, seemingly content with Melissa Downes carrying the top-rating bulletin solo.
Corey Oates feeling in the head in KIIS ratings slump
It’s getting tense behind the scenes at KIIS97.3, where insiders say breakfast hosts Robin, Kip and new recruit Corey Oates are “on notice” after another lacklustre survey result.
Despite a high-profile shake-up and months of hype around former Broncos winger Oates joining the team, the station remained to fourth place, trailing behind B105, Triple M and Nova, and whispers suggest ARN execs are “furious” the gamble hasn’t paid off.
“They were warned the first three surveys of 2025 were make or break,” one source said. “They’ve already failed the first test.”
Industry sources said Oates is “quietly rattled” by the cold reception.
“Corey’s used to being cheered, not blamed,” one source said.
“It’s not the debut he dreamt of.”
The team’s highly personal on-air style, and emotional appeals not to be axed, is also raising eyebrows.
“They’ve been flogging sob stories,” an insider said.
“Listeners can smell desperation.”
With Kyle and Jackie O waiting in the wings, some insiders believe the Brisbane-based trio could be replaced by mid-year.
“They’re fighting for survival,” the insider said.
“And it’s getting awkward.”
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