Carrie Bickmore returns to Hit FM drive show following shock Chris Walker split

Carrie Bickmore has addressed listeners of her hit radio show hours after announcing her split from her partner, Chris Walker.

The reason behind Carrie Bickmore and Chris Walker’s abrupt split remains a mystery, with the former Project host completely avoiding the topic on her radio show today.

After a brief joint statement released this morning alerting fans of the break-up, Bickmore returned to business as usual on the Hit Network’s Carrie & Tommy this afternoon, delivering a lighthearted show with no mention of the news.

On Wednesday morning, both Bickmore and Walker wrote on Instagram: “Hi there. It’s with immense sadness that (Carrie) and I have decided to separate.

“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.”

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Carrie and Chris announced their shock separation on Instagram on Wednesday.

They added: “We won’t be making any further comment at this stage.”

The news sent shockwaves through the industry, with many believing the split came completely out of nowhere given the couple were seen embracing on the beach in Byron Bay, where they own a holiday house, mere weeks ago.

The couple spent some of their summer holiday break in the popular tourist town, with Bickmore pictured grinning on the beach in a fluoro yellow one piece earlier this month.

During another beach day out on January 5th, Walker and Bickmore looked every bit the happy couple as they hugged and laughed on the sand.

As speculation into what triggered the split continues to swirl, entertainment commentator Peter Ford told news.com.au that Bickmore and Walker’s temporary move to the UK last year may have been a sign of things to come.

Carrie Bickmore, Chris Walker and kids Oliver, Adelaide and Evie. Picture: Instagram

Ford said while he was “taken aback” by news of the split, and stressed he didn’t know “what’s going on behind closed doors”, with the benefit of hindsight, the extended European getaway may have been a hint of trouble in paradise between the pair.

The lengthy holiday in the middle of the year — which Bickmore described as a chance to “seize the moment” while her kids were still young — certainly raised eyebrows, especially given Bickmore’s lucrative plum role which came with a reported $1.5 million salary and which is considered to be one of the best in the notoriously competitive TV industry.

“Clearly, she took time off last year in Europe, and I thought, most people don’t take time off like that – if they’ve got a TV or radio contract, you don’t take an extended break in the middle of the year,” Ford told news.com.au.

Carrie and Chris temporarily relocated to the UK in the middle of 2022. Picture: Instagram

“So I thought that was about [them being] in search of something, trying to find something.”

After her return to Australia in July, Bickmore opened up about the family’s UK trip on her radio show, revealing that holidaying as a family had been “really, really hard”, and particularly difficult for her youngest.

A few months later, Bickmore announced her resignation from The Project, describing the decision as the “hardest of my professional life” on the show in October.

Her announced followed a bumpy stint in the headlines for Walker, who was embroiled in a nude Skype scandal after accidentally revealing himself to up to nine ABC co-workers.

Bickmore remained tight-lipped over the May incident as it gripped headlines, though some speculated it may have put strain on their relationship.