Sydney’s newest ‘It’ couples who ‘soft launched’ their relationship
Those sassy summer shots from our stars may be fading from Instagram, now it’s Sydney’s newest IT couples who are hotting up the city’s social scene. Find out who made the list.
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Publicly debuting a romance is passé. Millennials and Gen Z are all about the relationship soft launch — a term co-opted from economics that means subtly introducing a new partner (rather than product).
In the online world, soft launching protects privacy and cultivates buzz.
It also means if the new relationship fails, or negatively impacts one’s personal brand, it can be quietly deleted.
Some of Sydney’s most famous faces have soft launched their new-found loves online in the past year. How many did you notice?
CAITLIN FOORD AND KATIE MCCABE
UK tabloid headlines from this week read: “Katie McCabe and Caitlin Foord head to Australia after fuelling rumours of romance”.
Both women play for the same team — Arsenal in the Women’s Super League — and on Friday took to the field at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
Their public social media pages are littered with cute couple photos, including from their holiday in Rome last week. “amore,” McCabe commented.
Foord’s Matildas teammates jokingly ribbed her in the comments section about her “sick time” caption, with fans congratulating the “hard launch”.
An insider told Confidential that Foord and McCabe have been coupled up for some time... which explains why McCabe’s ex of seven years, Irish midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn, infamously refused to shake Foord’s hand during the Matildas’ triumphant opening World Cup game.
Australia prevailed 1-0 over Ireland and as the celebrations began Littlejohn appeared to approach Foord on the pitch. However it looked as if teammates held her back.
Littlejohn and McCabe had recently broken up at the time, and photos had emerged of Foord and McCabe holidaying together with friends on the Spanish island of Ibiza.
THE KID LAROI AND TATE MCRAE
The Kid Laroi just made things official.
After months of rumours that he and Tate McRae are dating, the Stay singer confirmed to fans at his April 14 show in Ireland that the Canadian pop star — who was watching from the wings — is his girlfriend.
The moment came between songs while Laroi was on stage, telling the crowd at 3Arena in Dublin, “I need everybody in here to sing this as loud as they can because my girlfriend’s here tonight, and I don’t want to look lame.”
Fan cameras then panned to stage left, capturing McRae giggling while watching the show from backstage. “If you guys don’t sing this really loud …,” the Sydney-born star added. “It’s going to embarrass me.”
Laroi, real name Charlton Howard, was born and raised in Redfern.
Fans have speculated since January that he and the Greedy singer were an item, with the two 20-year-old musicians photographed holding hands, out at dinner and on holiday together, and double dating with their famous friends Justin and Hailey Bieber.
They are both due back in Sydney later this year for the Australian legs of their respective world tours.
RICHARD WILKINS AND MIA HAWKSWELL
Just months after calling it off with long-term girlfriend Nicola Dale, Richard Wilkins has found love again.
Celebrity make-up artist Mia Hawkswell, 47, is believed to have started dating Wilkins, 69, earlier this year after meeting him through her client and his friend Sonia Kruger.
The relationship comes just four months after the longstanding entertainment reporter broke it off with partner of four years, former Qantas flight attendant Nicola Dale.
It is believed Hawkswell recently broke up with her long-term partner.
Hawkswell is the go-to make-up artist for a number of high-profile women, including Kruger, Erika Heynatz, Rachael Finch, Jessica Rowe and Kate Waterhouse.
JACKIE ‘O’ HENDERSON AND JACK TYERMAN
Tradie slash model Jack Tyerman has all but been confirmed as being Jackie “O” Henderson’s new beau.
The 29-year-old hottie, who is represented by top modelling agency IMG Models, also works for construction company Verdecon, which is based in both Bondi and Byron.
The KIIS FM star and tradie-turned-model were seen arriving at French bistro Hubert on Saturday night dressed to the nines.
Henderson wore a strapless black cocktail dress and heels, while Tyerman, who is represented by top modelling agency IMG Models, opted for tidy dark jeans, a black long-sleeved shirt, and white sneakers.
Hubert is a renowned Sydney date spot— known for its candlelit tables for two, live jazz, and old-world opulence decor inspired by post-war Paris.
The 29-year-old hottie showed off his chivalrous side, opening the door for Henderson as the couple headed into the subterranean restaurant.
It’s their second dinner date in as many weeks, with the pair frequenting Justin Hemmes’ new restaurant Good Luck in Sydney’s CBD last Friday with a group of friends.
Earlier, Henderson addressed their rumoured relationship on the Kyle and Jackie O Show after they were seen on another date with another couple.
“We went together to the restaurant and I didn’t want to drive and told him to drive (my car),” she told co-host Kyle Sandilands of another outing.
“He is cute, but no, there is nothing going on. We went out with his sister and her husband. We were just catching up.
“Jack is a good friend of mine. I know him through a friend of ours. We didn’t meet on a dating app or anything like that.”
Rumours of a relationship first surfaced in August 2023 when Tyerman was spotted on the balcony of Henderson’s home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
JAMES PACKER AND RENEE BLYTHWOOD
With so many Hollywood film stars drawing the limelight at the 77th French Film Festival in Cannes last week, Aussie billionaire James Packer’s latest beautiful companion almost slipped by unnoticed.
Packer, who is chasing the sun to Europe on his annual Mediterranean voyage, chose the most glamorous event on the French film industry calendar to unveil his new girlfriend, US model Renee Blythewood.
The 30-something from Nashville shared photos from Packer’s boat — and not for the first time — on the French Riveria. They are believed to have been dating since late 2023.
ADA NICODEMOU AND JAMES STEWART
Home and Away co-stars Ada Nicodemou and James Stewart’s five-year on-screen love story has blossomed into a real-life romance.
While they’re yet to make any formal acknowledgment or comment on the relationship, photos emerged of Nicodemou, 46, and Stewart, 48, packing on the PDA in Sydney on Anzac Day.
The news comes after it was revealed that Nicodemou, 46, secretly parted ways with Sydney businessman Adam Rigby at the end of last year, and that Stewart has divorced from his ex-wife, fellow actor Sarah Roberts.
Prior to that he dated Australian actor Jessica Marais, with whom he has a daughter named Scout.
Rumours of a romance first came to light late last year when Nicodemou and Stewart were spotted kissing at a Seven Network Christmas party.
A publicist for Home and Away told Confidential that the new couple won’t be commenting on their pairing “anytime soon”.
ABBIE CHATFIELD AND ADAM HYDE
FBoy Island host and modern media empress Abbie Chatfield rose to fame as the runner-up of The Bachelor Australia’s seventh season.
As such, the 28-year-old’s fanbase has always ravenously devoured any and all details about her love life. In March, Chatfield openly gushed about her burgeoning new relationship with Peking Duk musician Adam Hyde.
“I’m so giddy,” she said, without actually naming one half of the Aussie DJ duo on her It’s A Lot podcast.
“Everyone’s going to know who I’m talking about,” she said.
On Wednesday, Chatfield shared a selfie of her face next to the musician’s crotch with the caption: “semi soft launch”.
The media personality also revealed she and Hyde have been friends for “a couple years” and admitted that she’d been looking for a rebound or “refresher” after a brutal break up in January.
“From that we spent every day on the phone for multiple hours and texting everyday for over two months,” Chatfield said.
Her co-hosts also teased her at length for almost dropping the L-bomb.
The couple attended the No More rallies against gender-based violence in Sydney together in April.
NATHAN CLEARY AND MARY FOWLER
Nathan Cleary spent the better part of six months trying to keep a lid on his relationship with Matildas star Mary Fowler.
...Until the Panthers halfback made a tongue-in-cheek reference to his relationship with the 20-year-old striker in January.
“That’s life”, he captioned a photo of Fowler with an ice cream emoji, referencing early paparazzi shots of a date they had.
The tiny detail became an instant hit with social media users who lapped up the image of the two on the beach.
Fowler ‘hard launched’ the relationship on April 15, as she posted nine photos with a
a black and white photo of her and Cleary leading the way.
The sporting superstars have previously shared photos of one another on their respective Instagram accounts, but the images have been buried inside carousels.
They were spotted at reuniting at a coffee shop in Cronulla before the Panthers’ game against the Sharks in the Shire at the weekend.
BERNADETTE FAHEY AND JORDAN SUKKAR
Wellness guru and Sydney socialite Bernadette Fahey is off the market. Just two weeks ago, she shared this “prom debut” snap to her 18,000 followers with a black loveheart emoji and tagged her new beau, Jordan Sukkar.
“I think dating is difficult for me because I have been so focused on building my business and working so I don’t have a lot of time outside of that,” Fahey told Confidential in 2023.
“If looking to date someone, the qualities I look for are someone who is ambitious, driven and has a hard work ethic.”
Sukkar was recently promoted to Chief Operations Officer of his parents’ $500 million per annum construction company, Buildcorp.
JESS SERGIS AND TOMMY TALAU
NRL’s new power couple soft launched in January, when NRLW superstar Jessica Sergis appeared to go Instagram official with new Manly flyer Tommy Talau.
Sergis took to Instagram, sharing some photos on Instagram, one of her Stories which appeared to have Talau filming Sergis while sun baking, and another an image among a series of other images with the pair at a pottery wheel and Sergis kissing Talau on the cheek.
Sergis’ former Roosters teammate, Leianne Tufuga commented: “Soft launch”.
Sergis also liked several comments including “cute little soft launch! My favs”, “Stop it, you two” and a message from Jess’ sister Vivienne which read “we love TT”.
The 26-year-old Sergis, who has represented NSW and Australia as well as claiming the 2019 Dally M Player of the Year, is one of the big names of the NRLW competition.
She also represented Australia in the end of season Pacific Championship.
Talau, 23, has played 45 NRL matches for the Wests Tigers, scoring 20 tries, but made the switch to Manly for the 2024 season. He also participated in the Pacific Championships, representing Samoa.
The pair are going strong, with Sergis moonlighting as a WAG last month at one of Talau’s games.
JADE HEFFER AND TRENT JESKE
He’s the (gangland) prince, she’s his princess; it’s a love story and the Supreme Court just said yes.
Five days after a police raid forced them apart, newly married underworld power couple Trent Jeske and Jade Heffer were reunited, after a court overturned bail conditions preventing any contact between the lovebirds.
The newlyweds were woken by Raptor Squad officers at Jeske’s Merrylands rental last fortnight with a search warrant, which was conducted as part of investigations under Strike Force Wessex into Organised Criminal Networks (OCNs) involved in drug supply using “dial-a-dealer” phones across Sydney.
Heffer, 28, the former wife of well-known underworld figure and Lone Wolf bikie Yusuf Nazlioglu — who was shot dead at the couple’s Rhodes unit block — was arrested and taken to Granville Police Station following the raid.
The court heard Jeske, 26, was released from jail in February after serving more than 20 months behind bars after pleading guilty to distributing drugs for the Alameddine crime gang.
It is not known when the pair got together, but it is understood they tied to knot in an Islamic ceremony in April.
Rumours first began to swirl after Heffer changed her Instagram bio to include the initials “TJ”, before she also posted a photo to Facebook of her shiny new diamond ring, which she was seen wearing at Burwood Courthouse.
ANTHONY BELL AND ANNIKA MARTYN
Celebrity accountant Anthony Bell popped the question to his girlfriend Annika Martyn aboard his Ghost II superyacht on Sydney Harbour, after getting permission from his two daughters.
“The kids sealed the decision for me,” he told Sunday Confidential, referring to his two girls Charlize, 12, and Thea, 10.
Entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins, boxer Danny Green and power couple Anthony Minichiello and Terry Biviano were among the guests for her 40th birthday celebration.
It was only last September that Sydney Confidential revealed Martyn, the ex-wife of retired cricketer Damien Martyn, was his new partner.
Bell’s colourful crew of Sydney’s elite made waves frolicking on his multimillion-dollar superyacht on the exclusive Cote d’Azur coastline.
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