Carrie Bickmore and Chris Walker’s separation stirred by late-night Instagram

A prank gone wrong or insight into the swirling rumours about Carrie Bickmore? Sources close to her ex partner Chris Walker say it’s all a bad joke.

A joke by protective mates gone wrong, or an insight into the swirling rumours about Carrie Bickmore?

Sources close to ex partner, ABC executive producer Chris Walker, say he was caught in an ill-advised joke.

And those inside Carrie’s camp say there is no truth to the are-they or aren’t-they rumours involving Bickmore’s radio co-host Tommy Little.

But headlines and whispers of sizzling hot chemistry can never hurt ratings, except when they catch fire.

Which is exactly what happened after a cryptic photo of Little gatecrashing a 2018 family portrait, when Bickmore was pregnant with her third child, was posted in the early hours to Walker’s Instagram account.

But was the now deleted midnight picture just another unfortunate mistake?

Whispers of sizzling hot chemistry between Tommy Little and Carrie Bickmore swirl. Picture: Supplied

Insiders close to the couple say Bickmore’s ex doesn’t believe there is any truth to the rumours.

But the fact that the story is out there and his ex partner has done nothing to deny them is hurtful.

Especially when Walker is struggling to come to terms with no longer seeing his children every day as he and Bickmore work through separation.

There are always two sides to the story, with friends and colleagues close to Walker telling Page 13 he is a hurt man and focused solely on being a dad.

It’s been suggested Walker has been pranked by a mate who posted the bizarre photo as a joke to his social media account without his knowledge, only for the photo and headlines to snowball.

Both Bickmore and Walker confirmed their separation after a decade together in January, issuing a statement shared to their Instagram Stories:

“While this is a tough time, our focus is to concentrate on parenting, loving and supporting our three amazing children, Ollie, Evie and Addie with everything we’ve got. They are doing great.”

Bickmore has since had high profile friends, such as radio bestie Fifi Box in her corner.

TV mates such as Chris Brown, Peter Helliar, Charlie Pickering and Leigh Sales have rallied around The Weekly executive producer since he and Bickmore announced their split.

But Page 13 has been told Walker is hurt that while mutual friends of both parties have supported him, it’s been radio silence from Little.