Aussie celebrity bust-ups of 2020: Amie and Gary Rohan, Kayla Itsines and Tobi Pierce
This year was tough for many, including these Australian celebrity couples who called it quits in 2020.
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The celebrity couples who called it quits in 2020.
GARY AND AMIE ROHAN
Geelong star Gary Rohan’s marriage with wife Amie ended over rumours he was cheating on her with a Cats’ staffer.
It’s understood the couple separated when Gary moved with Geelong Football Club to the AFL’s Gold Coast hub to play out the 2020 season.
The Herald Sun reported the news in November after Amie issued an impassioned plea for people to believe in themselves despite the ‘actions of another’ on social media.
The influencer received an immediate groundswell of support from women including sports presenter Erin Molan and Abby Gilmore.
Rumours swirled of a “cat fight” within the hub — the one about Tom Hawkins confronting Rohan about his behaviour — and it didn’t take long for the whispers to ripple across the wider AFL circle.
The tight-knit group of Geelong’s significant others were also said to be sharpening their claws over Rohan’s subsequent relationship with a Cats’ staffer.
Gary and Amie announced the birth of their daughter Sadie in March.
NATHAN AND TANIA BUCKLEY
Collingwood coachNathan Buckley and wife Tania Buckley confirmed in early December they’d called it quits after 18 years of marriage.
The high-profile AFL couple are working together amicably to focus on co-parenting their two young boys Ayce, 12, and Jett, 14. Both Nathan and Tania said in a statement they had mutually decided to separate in January.
“It has been a tough and challenging year for every family and for ours included,” the statement said.
“It is with the utmost love and respect for each other and a true commitment to our sons, that we have made a decision to separate in January.”
KAYLA ITSINES AND TOBI PEARCE
Adelaide-based personal trainers Kayla Itsines and Tobi Pearce became self-made millionaires after launching the popular SWEAT app and fitness empire.
SWEAT started as the popular e-book — Bikini Body Guide — back in 2014 and became the genesis of the couple’s fitness app, which shares at-home workouts and meal plans.
The couple were engaged in 2018, but never made it down the aisle, and have a daughter, Arna. Kayla and Tobi share an estimated wealth of $486 million, according to AFR.
In September, Kayla shared news of the couples’ split after eight years together, to her 12.6 million Instagram followers.
“Our friendship remains strong as we parent Arna together and run SWEAT as business partners,” Ms Itsines said.
MAJAK DAW AND EMILY MCKAY
Former North Melbourne star Majak Daw and his partner Emily McKay announced their split in mid-December. The pair share a one-year-old son Hendrix and are making him their priority following the separation. Daw made a remarkable AFL comeback in August after recovering from hip and pelvis injuries which sidelined his career after he fell from the Bolte Bridge in December 2018. Just 14 months on, Daw returned to AFL action in a pre-season match and then re-emerged in season 2020 while in the Queensland hub.
At the time he posted an adorable video of his then partner McKay and son Hendrix cheering him on the television from Melbourne. Daw thanked his family after the game, and wished McKay and Hendrix were with him in the AFL hub.
“Emily, she’s been great. She’s looking after (Hendrix). My mum and dad, they’ve been chopping me out, babysitting, so we’ve got a lot of support at home,” he said.
Around the same time in Melbourne’s lockdown McKay posted these heartfelt words on Instagram: “For anyone that’s struggling right now, and I know there are a lot out there. Happiness is in health, family — mum, dad, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, friends that are family and those that you call fam. Protect them.”
MIA FEVOLA AND DANIEL RIOLI
Melbourne’s next-gen AFL WAG couple Mia Fevola (Brendan Fevola’s stepdaughter) and Daniel Rioli (nephew of Dean and Maurice, cousin to Cyril Rioli) called things off in February after two years together.
Split rumours were doing the rounds in January after Mia removed mention of the Tiger star from her Instagram bio. Later the couple confirmed the break-up on their respective accounts.
“Daniel and I are no longer together however we still love and care for each other very much and remain the best of friends,” she wrote.
Daniel echoed the message on his page: “I know everyone is wondering what is going on with Mia and myself and I hate to say this but we are no longer together.”
In June, Mia shared more about why the couple called things off, saying it was her decision.
“The decision to end is probably the hardest part in my decision. The fear of not knowing if you’ll regret it, but if you’re genuinely considering this then you know it’s the right thing to do. You might be holding yourself back from flourishing independently.”
MELISSA LEONG AND JOE JONES
MasterChef judge Melissa Leong announced her separation from husband Joe Jones just days before Christmas.
Leong shared the sad news on Instagram under a picture of her and Jones holding hands.
“It has brought us such happiness to walk together, but the time has come for Joe and I to part ways and walk on, apart,’’ she wrote.
“We ask for your kindness and consideration for our privacy, we will not be making any further comment as our private lives have, and will always remain exactly that.
“We wish you peace at the end of such a challenging year for all.”
ALI OETJEN AND TAITE RADLEY
Ali Oetjin, 34, was The Bachelorette in 2018 and fell in love with contestant Taite Radley. The couple were together for two years before ending their relationship in July.
During the pandemic the couple spent time apart, with Taite living in Ballarat and Ali spending time with her parents in Queensland.
In June, the couple reunited after months apart and launched a new gym, Sweaty AF, in Ballarat. One month later the pair announced they were splitting.
Soon after, Ali went onto to star in SAS Australia, where she revealed the reasons for their break-up.
In one episode Ali said she felt ‘empty’ and lost her ‘soulmate’ when they things ended between her and Tait.
“I still think he is my soulmate; our timelines are different,” she said.
Ali said the split happened because they wanted different things out of life.
Taite hadn’t spoken to Ali since she’d began filming the show.
Ahead of the episode airing, Taite said he would have preferred to have been given a ‘heads up’ Ali was talking about their break-up on TV.
KYLY CLARKE AND JAMES COURTNEY
Kyly Clarke’s whirlwind romance with Supercars driver James Courtney run its course in early December. Clarke reignited the flame with her former lover Courtney nearly two decades after they first dated. The pair went public with their relationship during the Bathurst 1000 race weekend when they were reportedly spotted “kissing passionately” trackside.
Things were Instagram official in late October when Kyly posted a selfie of her and Courtney with a winking emoji to her Instagram story, and uploaded another picture of the two holding hands while lining up for a group shot with friends.
But six weeks after going public, with long distance making the relationship difficult to sustain.
ANGIE KENT AND CARLIN STERRITT
Rumours swirled in June when Angie and Carlin unfollowed each other on Instagram.
Around the same time Carlin moved out of the Sydney apartment he shared with Angie.
Before they moved in together, Angie and Carlin — both aged 30 — were in a long-distance relationship, with Angie living on the Sunshine Coast and Carlin in Sydney.
In July, the couple confirmed the split.
“Matters of the heart are extremely difficult and I’m sad to say that Carlin and I have broken up. I wish him nothing but the best in the future. I appreciate everyone’s concern and the investment that many of you made in the show and our story, but this is real life and we both need privacy and time to heal,” Angie said.
MILEY CYRUS AND CODY SIMPSON
Global pop-sensation Miley Cyrus has a penchant for Aussie men.
When things were officially over between her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, Miley moved on with another hunk — Gold Coast-born, US-based singer and model Cody Simpson. They began dating in 2019 and debuted their relationship online after sharing saucy mirror selfies.
In May, Cody shared a post celebrating the couples’ six month anniversary.
Things continued to look rosy in July, as the couple danced to TikTok videos in lockdown, but by August Miley had confirmed the pair were no longer.
“Right now, two halves can’t make a whole and we’re individually just working on ourselves to become the people we want to be, like everybody else at this age we’re deciding what we want to do with our lives so don’t think it’s some drama story.”
In November, Miley and Cody unfollowed each other on Instagram making the chances of a romantic reunion highly unlikely.
DAMIEN AND DANIELLE HARDWICK
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick separated from his wife Danielle in December.
The three-time premiership winning coach and two-time premiership player has three children with Danielle.
Danielle spent a short amount of time in Queensland at the hub with the Tigers.
Hardwick has often referred to his long-time partner Danielle and her influence.
He credited her with the stunning selection of Marlion Pickett, who played his first game in the 2019 grand final.
In October Hardwick said he will take an extended break over the off-season following a “tough” 2020 campaign.
BROOKE BLURTON AND NICK POWER
Brooke Blurton fast became a fan favourite in Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins’ season of The Bachelor in 2018. Brooke walked from the season, dumping Honey Badger and leaving him to choose a winner from the two remaining contestants — Brittany Hockley or Sophie Tieman — and to the shock of the nation, chose neither and then promptly fled the country to avoid media scrutiny. Brooke soon found love with another Nick, helicopter pilot Nick Power, in her home state of Western Australia. The pair looked smitten on social media for their entire relationship, which clocked just over one year, before they called it quits in February.
“If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been a bit MIA on SM (social media). I’ve been grieving a break up and I just haven’t been able to build up the courage to speak about it online and openly,” Blurton said in a social media video.
ELLY MILES AND FRAZER NEATE; BECKY MILES AND PETE MANN
Sister duo Elly, 25, and Becky Miles, 30, appeared to hit it off with contestants Frazer Neate and Pete Mann. However, their happy endings were short-lived with Becky eventually announcing her split with cafe owner Mann, 34, right after the finale aired. Soon after Becky’s disappointing outcome, Elly also had bad news about her brief romance with Neate, 28.
“We broke up over the weekend. I think we just grew apart after the show,” Elly said tearfully. “It was really, really hard having the distance and the secrecy and I guess everything that comes along with having a new relationship in the media.”
MICHELLE BRIDGES AND STEVE WILLIS
Shortly after the new year, celebrity fitness trainer Michelle Bridges, 50, announced her shock split from Steve “Commando” Willis, 44, after seven years together. The pair, who share a five-year-old son Axel, met as trainers on The Biggest Loser in 2007 and began dating six years later. “It has been a very difficult time for me the last few weeks dealing with the break-up of my long-term relationship,” she said at the time.
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