Masterchef’s Melissa Leong, Milly Shepperd and Dave Hughes among loving Valentine’s messages
MasterChef judge Melissa Leong said her partner was perfect, Jimmy Bartel’s girlfriend professed her love and a footy WAG paid tribute to her dog.
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Melbourne’s sporting stars and celebrities have professed their love in gushing tributes for Valentine’s Day.
MasterChef judge Melissa Leong topped the lot with a loving tribute to her partner Rob Mason, describing him as “perfect”.
Leong’s heartfelt words to the father-of-three was a rare show of emotion from the usually private TV star.
“Thank you for eventually replying to my Instagram DM, @therobmason,’’ she started her Instagram post on a picture of the couple kissing.
“To me, you are perfect*. Except for your views on onion, coriander and how often Maccas drive through is socially acceptable. Fortunately, we can agree that moonwalking in the supermarket is always OK.
“I am usually adverse to proclamations on days we are socially pressured to, but right now, I find any reason to celebrate the love you have, is cause enough to shout it out.”
Leong also posted the huge bunch of flowers Mason sent that she could barely fit through the door.
“Thank you, you are the best and most insane human and I love your face,’’ she wrote.
The 40 year-old first posted about the Melbourne haircare entrepreneur in September for Father’s Day.
Leong split from husband Joe Jones in December 2020 after almost four years of marriage.
Speaking to the Emsolation with Em Rusciano podcast, Leong said she learned to love herself first before meeting Mason.
“The best investment I’ve ever made in myself is getting good with who I am. Ugly bits, weird bits, funny bits, you know, all of it.”
Last year Leong told the Herald Sun that she made the choice to keep her life largely private.
“I live a very straightforward life and my job is public, my life isn’t,’’ she said.
“And that’s a very clear delineation I’ve made from the beginning and will always tread that line. So that’s it.”
Jimmy Bartel’s relationship with Milly Shepperd appears to be a lock.
After going public in December, the couple’s love continues to grow stronger with Shepperd declaring on Valentine’s Day that he feels like home.
“When you realise home is no longer a place, but a person,’’ Shepperd wrote on Instagram along with a love heart.
Bartel shared her post with a kiss emoji. It was the same picture of the pair he posted with a love heart when they were at the Australian cricket test match in Hobart last month.
On that picture Shepperd commented “I love you” and one friend even joked in the comments that they’d soon need an MC for a wedding.
On his birthday weekend just days after debuting his new partner with a picture of them kissing in Sydney, Bartel wrote that he’d “never been happier”.
The Geelong champion, 38, shares two sons Aston and Henley with his ex-wife Nadia Bartel.
He was dating socialite Lauren Mand but is now clearly smitten with executive assistant Shepperd.
Shepperd, full name Amelia, spent several years in Brisbane where, according to LinkedIn, she was the EA to the managing director and chief operations officer of Queensland Rugby League.
She has also been seen working at a retail shop on Chapel St and is known around Melbourne social circles.
Other notable tributes came from Leong’s MasterChef colleague Jock Zonfrillo who said his Lauren was “batting well above my class”.
Tennis player Bernard Tomic’s girlfriend Keely Hannah posted a rare picture of them together to declare her love, while comedians Dave Hughes and Celia Pacquola saw the funny side.
Hughes sent his wife Holly flowers with a card that read: “Happy Valentine’s my Angel. I love you more than I love Wordle. Love Dave.”
Pacquola wrote that each Valentine’s Day she gets a message from an old flame looking for a date … it was a message from Domino’s Pizza.
AFL stars and their partners were also feeling romantic.
Geelong forward Gary Rohan posted to Madi Bennett: “Love you. My Valentine” along with a love heart.
Richmond defender Nathan Broad’s fiance Tayla Damir won best post with a tribute to her man – their dog Charlie.
“Happy Valentine’s Day to my man. You bring me all the love and happiness in the world. You are strong, caring, funny and the most handsome thing I’ve ever seen. I love you always Charlie Boy. Oh and happy V Day to Nath as well, I guess I owe you a shout out for introducing me to the love of my life …”
Originally published as Masterchef’s Melissa Leong, Milly Shepperd and Dave Hughes among loving Valentine’s messages
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