Most shocking celebrity splits in Australia
From TV stars to the world of sports, these are the women at the centre of Australia’s most high-profile celebrity splits.
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They have undergone heartbreak with the very public breakdowns of their marriages and partnerships.
From TV stars to the world of sports, these are the women at the centre of Australia’s most high-profile celebrity splits.
Some had considered themselves the “rock” of their spouses, sharing their lives for decades only to be left shattered when their marriages ended abruptly.
Others were left devastated when their partnerships, which they had believed were lifelong, combusted after just a few years.
REBECCA RIGG
Their 29-year marriage was a rarity in showbiz circles in terms of its longevity.
Rebecca Rigg and Simon Baker were the genetically blessed actors who rose to stardom in the 90s before making their home in Hollywood as Baker furthered his TV career.
But the entertainment world was left reeling by news earlier this month that The Mentalist star and Rigg — who share three adult children — had split.
Baker has previously said Rigg, who he met when both were appearing in the Aussie soap E-Street in 1991 and married in 1998, was “the greatest woman any man could ever hope to make a life with”.
The actor has reportedly found new love with fashion designer Laura May Gibbs, who he met in Byron Bay.
NADIA BARTEL
They were the AFL’s most picture perfect couple before they famously imploded amid allegations of secret text messages.
Retired Geelong Cats star Jimmy and Nadia Bartel seemed to be living the dream in their $3 million period home in Melbourne’s St Kilda West.
Together for eleven years and married for five, their union was complete with the arrival of two adorable sons, Aston and Henley.
But according to insiders, their marriage had been unravelling in the months leading up to their devastating split in 2019.
“This is never what I thought would happen,” Nadia told Stellar magazine shortly after their split. “Every day is tough.”
Just days after confirming their break-up, Jimmy was romantically linked to Melbourne socialite Lauren Mand.
Since their messy split, the career and profile of fashion designer and Instagram star Nadia — considered to be one of the country’s original influencers has skyrocketed.
The devoted mother has moved on from her previous life after selling he former marital home and purchasing a stunning $3.15 million luxury home in an inner city suburb south east of Melbourne’s CBD.
PHOEBE BURGESS
As far as splits go, theirs was one of the sporting world’s most acrimonious.
Sparks flew when the then Phoebe Hooke met Rabbitohs star Sam Burgess at an Avicii concert in Sydney back in 2014.
The pair had only been dating a few months when the NRL star popped the question and they married in an elaborate ceremony at Phoebe’s sprawling family estate in Bowral in 2015.
But their on-off relationship soon ran into trouble, ending with a permanent split in 2019 amid legal battles, AVOs and a sexting scandal.
The mum of two, who regularly shares updates with her fans about her home life in the NSW Southern Highlands on social media, has been open about her heartbreak and the realities of life as a single mum to Poppy and Billy.
Relations between Phoebe and her former husband deteriorated further with the publication of bombshell allegations in The Australian about the retired NRL star, which he denied.
On March 19, Sam Burgess was acquitted on appeal of intimidating his former father-in-law Mitchell Hooke near Bowral.
Burgess had been found guilty of intimidating Mr Hooke during an incident at his home in February, but this was overturned on appeal.
TANIA BUCKLEY
Their 18-year marriage was viewed as one of the strongest in the AFL. But to the shock of fans, Tania Buckley and Collingwood head coach Nathan called it quits.
In a statement posted to Tania’s Instagram last December, the Buckleys confirmed they had split 11 months earlier.
“It has been a tough and challenging year for every family and for ours included,’ the statement read.
“It is with the utmost of love and respect for each other and a true commitment to our sons, that we made a decision to separate in January.
Since the split, Tania — famous for her jaw-dropping red carpet dresses — has been snapped looking fit and relaxed with friends as she gets on with life.
CHERYL DIPIERDOMENICO
For 41 years, Cheryl Dipierdomenico was the rock to her husband, AFL legend Robert ‘Dipper’ Dipierdomenico.
But the mum of two has been left devastated by their shock split, which came after the pair briefly separated last year.
In an emotional post on Facebook earlier this month, Cheryl said she was “devastated” and “broken” about the situation. The pair have two children and grandchildren.
Cheryl wrote: “This is a really hard post! Some of my friends say go for it, others say don’t say a word! I have to go with my gut! So I am! I have loved this man for over 45 years! He came back to me in Sept wanting a second chance! I gave it to him because I thought, maybe it was my fault we fell apart!”
She continued: “Up until Valentine’s Day I was the happiest girl in the world having my family back as a whole! Then I found out he sent (another woman) flowers and champagne for Valentine’s Day!!!! My world crumbled! Back to square one!!!!! Why why why! I’m devastated and broken but now I know it’s done!!!”
Dipper told the Herald Sun the split was a family matter and that he was sad his marriage had broken down.
He said he had sent gifts to an ex-girlfriend after she had lost a loved one.
CASSANDRA THORBURN
Cassandra Thorburn’s dramatic split in 2016 from Today host Karl Stefanovic after 21 years together was, in her words, a “painful experience” that left her grieving.
Now a confident single mum, Thorburn detailed on her podcast Divorce Story how she was devastated when her ex-husband decided to leave her.
“Any trauma has to be grieved,” she said. “And divorce is a trauma.”
Just five months after their split, Karl met Jasmine Yarbrough, who would soon become his second wife and the mother of his fourth child.
JACQUI LEWIS
When news of the breakdown of his 36-year marriage emerged, Wally Lewis admitted the separation had taken a heavy toll on his family.
In his autobiography My Life, published last year, the rugby league legend, who is now in a relationship with volunteer worker Lynda Adams, revealed how his devoted wife Jacqui had helped him through his epilepsy diagnosis, a condition he kept secret from 1987 to 2006 when he had a seizure on air on Nine News.
She then stood by him through his debilitating battle with depression.
“Another time I walked down to the pontoon on the canal at the back of the house and considered jumping in,” he wrote. “The thought was actually there that day … (Jacqui) never left me alone after that.”
Lewis has since been photographed with his new girlfriend Lynda Adams in Townsville.
AMIE ROHAN
Amie Rohan’s split from husband and Geelong star Gary Rohan comes after a heartbreaking period in her life which she says left her in a “deep depression”.
The mother of two shared the “constant grief’ she feels after losing one of her twin girls, just hours after her birth.
In a moving interview on the Women of Influence with Kate Meade Podcast, she revealed how she put her life back together after being overcome with unimaginable pain.
Her marriage split occurred in July 2020, when Gary joined his teammates at the AFL’s Gold Coast quarantine hub just a few months after the couple celebrated the birth of their third child Sadie Rose.
DANIELLE HARDWICK
News of Damien Hardwick’s split with wife Danielle and his new relationship with a younger colleague sent shockwaves through the AFL world.
Danielle, the mother of three, posted a meme to her private Instagram account after details of his new relationship with Alexandra Crow became public.
Danielle’s post read: “F... every single person that took advantage of your kindness and mistook it for weakness.”
Danielle Hardwick, who was often referred to affectionately as “Mrs Hardwick”, is a much-loved figure in Tigerland.
MAGGIE GOODWIN
The break-up of Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin and wife Maggie was the third high-profile coach split in 2020.
The pair had been together since the age of 19 and he had previously spoken about the importance of Maggie’s support.
“She’s supported me through all of the challenges in my life. We live in a really selfish industry in a lot of ways, especially as a player and also now as a coach,” he told the media when he was appointed as coach in 2016.
“It’s such a selfish industry and she’s had to sustain a lot, and she’s pulled me into line when she’s needed to — I’ve needed that a few times, that’s for sure.”
KYLY BOLDYAND MICHAEL CLARKE
Michael Clarke and Kyly Boldy were cricket’s A-list couple before they announced their shock split in early 2020 after seven years of marriage.
The former high school sweethearts got together again after his split from Lara Worthington, eventually marrying in 2012 in a private twilight ceremony in NSW bushland.
Clarke, who has been in on-off relationship with fashion designer Pip Edwards since his marriage split, recently revealed how he and Boldy co-parent four-year-old daughter Kelsey Lee.
“I think I’m extremely lucky to have been able to go through a separation with the mother of my child and us still be great friends,” Clarke said on KISS 1065’s Kyle and Jackie O Show.
“I actually think Kyly and my friendship now is as strong as it’s ever been. We still talk daily and I think you’ve heard Kyly say as well both of us will always prioritise our daughter and a big part of that is a friendship between mum and dad.”
Originally published as Most shocking celebrity splits in Australia
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