Michael Clarke desperate to restore calm with girlfriend Jade Yarbrough after slap video released
A shattered Michael Clarke has been desperately trying to restore peace following his very public fight in Noosa with on-and-off-again girlfriend Jade Yarbrough. A ‘distraught’ Yarbrough has bunkered down with sister Jasmine.
NSW
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A shattered Michael Clarke was on the phone until the early hours of Thursday morning trying to calm tensions between everyone involved in his public fight in Noosa with his on-and-off-again girlfriend Jade Yarbrough and mate Karl Stefanovic.
The Australian cricket champion nicknamed Pup has remained steadfast in his position about taking responsibility for the incident in which Yarbrough slapped him across the face.
Sources said Clarke had spent Wednesday and Thursday nights attempting to mend fences with Yarbrough.
Friends of Yarbrough said she was “distraught and embarrassed” by the way she came across in the footage.
She was bunkered down with her sister Jasmine on Thursday.
There was no hiding for Jasmine’s husband Stefanovic, who not only fronted up to his Today Show hosting gig on Channel 9 but made it through the day by acting as if nothing had happened. By comparison, his opposition Channel 7 morning show, Sunrise, ran a series of segments on the video and those involved.
After finishing the show, Stefanovic went straight to Sydney Airport and boarded a plane to Melbourne. He presented at a function on Thursday afternoon before preparing to host Friday’s Today from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
The fifth party to the Noosa chaos, celebrity accountant Anthony Bell — who has found himself caught between his two good mates Clarke and Stefanovic — refused to comment when contacted by The Daily Telegraph.
What ended with international headlines and ruined relationships began as a belated Christmas celebration for Clarke and Yarbrough in Noosa.
Fresh off a flight from Colorado after a white Christmas with her family, Yarbrough swapped her boots and blazer for a bikini and headed north with Clarke.
The trip to the Sunshine Coast on January 6, along with Clarke’s seven-year-old daughter Kelsey-Lee, was the couple’s first time together since Yarbrough left for Aspen in mid-December.
Local photographers (and everyone on her social media account) were tipped off to the celebrity couple’s arrival when Yarbrough posted an Instagram story of Kelsey-Lee walking along Hastings St in Noosa, hand-in-hand with Stefanovic’s daughter Harper.
A day later, the loved-up couple was photographed on Main Beach smiling and canoodling, along with Yarbrough’s sister Jasmine.
Friends of the two couples insist it wasn’t planned as a family getaway, it was meant to be Clarke and Yarbrough’s belated Christmas together and the Stefanovics just happened to be in town because they own a holiday house nearby.
Clarke and Yarbrough were hosted by Bell at his $12 million home on the Noosa river and were photographed there lying around the pool and lapping up the sun.
But 48 hours later, the scene was very different.
Extraordinary footage captured the moment Yarbrough and Clarke had a showdown in a park after she discovered he had caught up with his ex, fashion designer Pip Edwards.
In the wild vision obtained by The Daily Telegraph, Yarbrough told Clarke she had spoken to Edwards and accused him of hooking up with her on December 17.
“You f**ked her … I know you did,” Yarbrough insists repeatedly. Clarke says she had it all wrong.
Yarbrough and Edwards have crossed paths a lot in the past 12 months.
In February last year they were both photographed at TV personality Darren McMullen’s 40th birthday party which Clarke also attended.
It’s not clear which woman he was with at the time, or if all three were invited individually.
However, the photos show Edwards and Yarbrough appearing to get along, laughing and smiling at the lavish Rose Bay event.
The three were invited to the ritzy Bondi Icebergs’ New Year’s Day party this year, but with Yarbrough overseas, Clarke went solo.
Edwards was also there and was pictured in a group photo with Clarke.
It was at the Icebergs three years ago that rumours began about Clarke and Edwards dating.
Michael Clarke’s cricketing career
Michael Clarke is a retired Australian cricketer who captained the national team from 2011 to 2015.
He is considered one of the best batsmen of his generation and one of the greatest Australian cricketers of all time.
Clarke made his debut for Australia in 2003 and quickly established himself as a key member of the team.
He was known for his aggressive and stylish batting, and was particularly strong against fast bowling.
In 2005, he scored his first century in Test cricket and went on to score many more throughout his career.
He was also a skilled captain, leading Australia to victory in the 2010-11 Ashes series and the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
Clarke was also known for his leadership off the field, and was respected for his dedication to the game and his teammates.
He was named the ICC ODI Player of the Year in 2006 and the Allan Border Medalist for the best Australian cricketer in 2005, 2009, 2012 and 2013.
He was also named in the ICC ODI Team of the Year in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Despite his success, Clarke’s career was not without controversy.
In 2013, he was involved in a public feud with former captain Ricky Ponting, and in 2015, he faced criticism for his handling of the “homework” scandal involving teammates Shane Watson, James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson.
Clarke retired from international cricket in 2015.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Australian cricketers of all time, and his contributions to the sport will be remembered for many years to come.
Got a news tip? Email clementine.cuneo@news.com.au
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