Triple M’s Ben Dobbin reveals he left Hamilton Island’s Qualia Resort over leaked Amal Clooney photo
Triple M drive show host Ben Dobbin cut his Hamilton Island honeymoon short after he leaked a photo of Amal Clooney at a luxury resort, breaching the island’s privacy code
Confidential
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Brisbane radio host Ben Dobbin has revealed he cut his honeymoon short after he leaked a photo of Amal Clooney inside a luxury resort on Hamilton Island.
After tying the knot in early November, Dobbin and his new wife Amity travelled to stay at the up-market Qualia Resort, where George Clooney and Julia Roberts were also visiting to film romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise.
But, speaking on Triple M drive show The Rush Hour on Wednesday, Dobbin said he left Hamilton Island two days early after the resort’s manager confronted them about a photo they shared of Clooney’s wife, Amal Clooney, who is a well-known human rights lawyer.
Unauthorised photos aren’t welcome on the privately-owned island but a Hamilton Island spokesperson said Dobbin was not asked to leave and is welcome to return any time.
“I’m not going to say I got kicked off Hamilton Island. Our honeymoon was cut short,” Dobbin told co-hosts Leisel Jones and Liam Flanagan.
With the Hollywood duo’s arrival on the private island in early November sparking fanfare, Dobbin said colleagues at Channel 9 asked him if he’d spotted them.
“Amity is walking out of a … beauty salon at Qualia and there is Amal Clooney sitting in a golf cart waiting to go in,” Dobbin said.
“Amity being a good wife took a little photo with her phone and sent it to me.
“I happened to pass this on to somebody I know, and lo and behold it ended up on the 6 o’clock news on Channel 9 that night. First photo of George Clooney’s wife Amal Clooney.”
The newlyweds went out the following day before returning to Qualia, where they were greeted by the resort’s manager.
“I’ll just leave it with this – we cut our holiday short by two days after that meeting,” Dobbin said.
“You ruined my honeymoon. For what, a stinking photo?”
Anderson, who has practised family law since 2008, is an admirer of Amal Clooney’s legal work.
Qualia is known for protecting the privacy of guests and is a regular destination for celebrities, with past visitors including Oprah Winfrey, Chris Hemsworth, Taylor Swift and Leonardo DiCaprio.
“As a premium resort destination, Hamilton Island’s primary responsibility is to protect the privacy and comfort of all our guests,” a Hamilton Island spokesperson said.
“For the privacy of all guests, unauthorised photography and filming of guests is unwelcome.
“Ben was given a warning and was deeply apologetic. Ben was never asked to leave and is more than welcome to return to the Island.”
Dobbin did not know whether the Clooneys knew about the photo or their decision to leave the island.
“I don’t know the laws of Hamilton Island. I love Hamilton Island and I hope to go back there again this year and hopefully one day go back to Qualia,” he said.
Clooney and his family stayed on Hamilton Island for the month of filming before travelling to the Gold Coast.
They left Queensland last week after the Covid outbreak in Queensland forced producers on the Universal film to temporarily suspend production and reschedule the last two weeks of filming to a later date.
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