SydCon Unleashed: Sonia Kruger turns heads in London
Sonia Kruger lit up the streets of London this week to celebrate an Australian brand launching in Harrods, meanwhile Brittany Hockley has finally had her ‘happily ever after’. Read more in Unleashed.
Confidential
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Sonia Kruger brought some Aussie sunshine to London last week, turning heads as she stepped out at one of London’s most iconic destinations last week.
The 59-year-old television presenter, who visited the UK for a brief visit, was spotted browsing the shelves of the iconic department store, picking up a few of her favourite beauty essentials.
Kruger was in town to celebrate the arrival of popular Australian-made tanning range, Three Warriors, which has recently launched in Harrods. The homegrown brand has been gaining traction internationally and is now a go to for stars like Chris Appleton, Lady Kitty Spencer, and singer Rose Gray, who wore the tan at the Cannes Film Festival.
“From Hobart to Harrods! Seeing this all-Aussie brand land on the shelves of Harrods, one of the world’s most iconic retailers was surreal,” Kruger said.
The TV host looked right at home as she took in the buzz of one of London’s most famous shopping spots.
Kruger’s quick European getaway follows a packed schedule back home, with her return to screens as host for Dancing With The Stars soon.
‘Happily ever after’: Reality TV star ties the knot
Reality star Brittany Hockley has tied the knot.
The podcaster and former contestant on The Bachelor has had her ‘happily ever after’ by saying ‘I do’ to partner Ben Siegrist in Bali on Wednesday.
“From the very first day, it was you,” Hockley wrote on Instagram.
“Across any ocean, it is you. For the rest of our lives, it will always be you. Mr and Mrs Siegrist.”
Hockley and Swiss footballer Siegrist wed at Pandawa Cliff Estate surrounded by family and friends, among them celebrity pals Laura Byrne and Matthew Johnson, Mitch Churi and hairdresser Alexander Fuchs.
The bride wore Steven Khlail and requested “no thongs” on the dress code for guests.
The Sunday Telegraph revealed details of the wedding last month, detailing the location that boasts itself being “a dream wedding and event venue for up to 200 guests”.
A six-bedroom villa is $6400 a night, which includes a team of staff, including the estate manager, the head chef and his team, villa attendants, housekeepers, butlers and security.
Hockley rose to reality TV fame off the back of appearing on dating show, The Bachelor, in 2018, and subsequently joined forces with Byrne on the podcast.
She also appeared on Bachelor In Paradise Australia and The Challenge: Australia.
Last year, she competed on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
Hockley had a short-lived but well publicised friendship with Hollywood star Rebel Wilson, whom she met through her relationship with pro-tennis player ex boyfriend Jordan Thompson.
State and Federal cops have a blue
Relations between federal and state police are showing no signs of improving, after a bungled media release by the Australian Federal Police in which they claimed involvement in a sextortion job from two years ago … which was carried out by NSW Police.
Tensions between the two forces have been heightened for a few years now, including at one point becoming so bad a joint taskforce between the two had to be abandoned.
The shocking move to end Operation Phobetor came less than two years after it was announced under much hype by former prime minister Scott Morrison.
But it seems things have failed to improve much since. The latest incident came this week, when the AFP’s media team put out a release boasting about the international arrests of 22 men in Nigeria for sextortion against Australians. But the case of two of those men – whose alleged offending led to the tragic suicide of a NSW teen – was run completely by NSW Police. The publicity-fond AFP was forced to issue a correction.
Law of warm and fuzzies
In the pressure-cooker environment of Sydney’s courts, there aren’t a lot of feel-good stories around – a lot of the time, it’s mostly misery.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t rays of sunshine emerging from within the system every now and then.
High-profile solicitor Ahmed Dib, a regular fixture in some of the most salacious cases in the Emerald City’s court complexes, recently thought of an idea when he realised many of his clients wanted to make amends after finding themselves in the dock.
Given the chilly weather recently, Mr Dib decided to ask about 10 of his clients if they wanted to head into the CBD to hand out jumpers to the homeless as a way of giving back to the community.
He found his defendants, after going through the court system themselves, were more than willing to be involved.
“When I raised it, they started calling me about it, they started harassing me to make sure that we did it,” Mr Dib said.
And so, on Wednesday evening, Mr Dib and the group went out with boxes of jumpers, handing them over to thankful homeless people in places such as Martin Place, Woolloomooloo and Central Station.
“We’re giving warm jumpers to the homeless because of the weather at the moment in Sydney – it’s freezing, most of us are cold at home even with the heater on and blankets. This is our way of trying to help them live as comfortably as possible,” Mr Dib said.
“A lot of the guys in my industry have made some mistakes in the past and, often, people judge them for that for the rest of their lives, so this is their way of trying to show people that people can mistakes, but that they’re not life sentences.
“Those are errors in life, and they want to try and redeem themselves and give back to the community.
“These are people who know, when you’re down and out, how people can really turn their backs on you.
“When people see homeless people, they keep walking and they try to ignore, they don’t try and help.”
Tailor ‘OK’ to expand
Tailor to the stars Patrick Johnson has secured permission to expand his P. Johnson Tailors menswear premises in Paddington.
The NSW Land & Environment Court approved the Studio McQualter-designed plans for a new basement level and first floor addition to his retail building at 7 Walker Lane.
The plans seek to “cater to the consumer demands of the growing business.”
The OK came late last month after four days of conciliation conferences with Woollahra Council.
The $2.9m application to the one-storey building with mezzanine level had been lodged in August 2023 but was refused last October.
Some 27 initial objectors had concerns including view loss; excavation impacts and traffic issues.
During the conciliation process, Johnson amended the plans by lowering the roof by 680mm and deleted the extended trading hours proposal.
While discreet about his $2000+ suit clientele, his Instagram followers include Tom Steinfort, Karl Stefanovic, Harry Leckie and Adrian Bo.
More Greek eats hit Sydney
It continues to be all Greek for Sydney’s hospitality scene with the announcement of two new Greek restaurants from seasoned hospitality operators in one week.
Last year, two of the city’s buzziest openings were offering Greek cuisine – Ammos in Brighton Le Sands and Olympus in Redfern.
Then came Olympus Meats in Marrickville and My Father’s Yeeros in Ramsgate. Now, more operators are opening new Greek venues.
The Sydney Restaurant Group is transforming Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf restaurant Manta into a contemporary restaurant, Akti.
The Group, which have restaurants like Summer Salt in Cronulla and Ormeggio at The Spit, have brought in international chef Ntinos Fotinakis (Bungalow 7, Athens) and head chef Robert Judd (Hellenika, SK Steak & Oyster) to run the restaurant.
The menu is designed to reflect the best of nostalgic Greek classics, with a modern twist.
And the operators behind Cronulla cafe institute Ham are set to open a gritty Athenian taverns called Homer Rogue Taverna.
Next month brothers Harry and Mario Kapoulas will open their new venture round the corner from Ham, which they first opened in 2019.
The 100-seat venue will offer a relaxed take on Greek dining, with graffitied walls, non-uniformed staff, a plethora of freshly-cooked meat, seafood and vegetables, and a pizza oven cooking up traditional flatbread.
Bateman enrages BookTok
After landing a controversial two-book publishing deal, it seems TV casting agents are circling former Bachelor star and Canberra Raiders footballer Luke Bateman.
It certainly is proof in the saying that ‘any publicity is good publicity’ as the 30-year-old went viral for scoring his deal with major publisher Simon & Schuster as a virtual unknown in that world.
The ‘scandal’ seemingly blew up BookTok with many angered the Queensland ‘pine cutter’ is an untested author who landed the offer because of his handsome looks, fame and ‘privilege’.
To us though, it doesn’t seem any different to any others capitalising on their profile – ‘influencers’ do it all the time.
Confidential sources tell this column Batemen has been contacted by multiple television formats keen to capitalise on his growing stardom.
There’s been from many including Farmer Wants A Wife and Love Island, although we believe the first option would be a better fit for his wholesome image.
While obviously some are not happy, much of the backlash has been ‘faux outrage’ with social media users keen to jump on the bandwagon to boost their own followings.
Bateman started a TikTok account and began sharing book related content in late April and within weeks blew up to what is now a following of 178,000 users and growing.
The book loving community within TikTok is referred to as BookTok and is dominated by, but not exclusively made up of, women who read romance and fantasy books.
Bateman, who appeared on The Bachelor in 2023, has so far posted 29 videos in which he has reviewed, reacted, and discussed his love of fantasy novels.
Why I say no to drugs: Hair specialist sparks controversy
A Sydney hair specialist, known for tending to the tresses of well-heeled eastern suburbs types, has been laughed at after revealing he won’t allow drugs or alcohol in his workplace.
Top gong: Sydney restaurant rated one of best in the world
Saint Peter, which used to be on Oxford Street and is now housed inside Paddington’s Grand National Hotel, has been honoured in the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 extended list.