One is a high-profile NRL star, and the other is one of the most recognisable faces on Australian TV.
But what former ‘golden boys’ Sam Burgess and Karl Stefanovic now have in common are very public marriage breakdowns.
The question on many people’s lips is: Will Sam’s public image suffer the same fate as Karl’s, after his highly publicised divorce from Cassandra Thorburn, in 2016?
Will it be the end of his career? Fears Sam Burgess (pictured) could follow in Karl Stefanovic’s footsteps if his personal troubles overshadow his professional performance – as he splits with wife Phoebe (right)
Rugby league star Sam, 30, split from his glamorous wife Phoebe just weeks after the birth of their second child, it was revealed on Thursday.
The glamour couple split shortly before Christmas, just three months after the South Sydney Rabbitohs star was cleared of any involvement in an NRL ‘sexting’ affair.
However, it remains to be seen what the fallout – if any – will be for Sam’s public image as he navigates his way forwards from his failed marriage to Phoebe.
Splitsville: What former ‘golden boys’ Sam Burgess and Karl Stefanovic now have in common are very public marriage breakdowns. Pictured: Karl Stefanovic with former wife Cassandra Thorburn
If Karl’s experience is anything to go by, however, Sam could be in for a wild ride.
Karl, 44, experienced a horror year in 2018 after it emerged he was dating his much younger girlfriend – and now wife – Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, after divorcing Cassandra Thorburn after 21 years of marriage.
The Today show suffered a massive plunge in the ratings, largely attributed to a souring of host Karl’s personal popularity with female viewers in the wake of his divorce.
The question on many people’s lips is: Will Sam’s public image suffer the same fate as Karl’s, after his highly publicised divorce from Cassandra Thorburn, in 2016? Sam is pictured at a press conference on September 18, 2018, in Sydney
According to industry observers, Karl’s subsequent marriage to Jasmine, executed with much fanfare in Mexico in December 2018, was the final straw for Nine executives and led to Karl’s axing from Today while on his honeymoon.
Of course, the infamous Ubergate scandal – in which Karl was overheard criticising Today’s Georgie Gardner and Richard Wilkins and network bosses during an Uber ride – did not help matters for the breakfast show star.
And despite Sam being cleared of any wrongdoing relating to the ‘sexting’ affair, it appears the past few months have nonetheless proved difficult for the couple, culminating in their recent break-up.
‘I have not sexted anyone’: It has been 15 weeks since a South Sydney Rabbitohs internal investigation into the ‘sexting’ scandal cleared Sam of any misconduct, contract breach or violation of the club’s code of conduct. Pictured on September 18, 2018 in Sydney
Following the marriage split last month, premiership winner Sam was spotted leaving his family home on Wednesday carrying several overnight bags.
It has been 15 weeks since a South Sydney Rabbitohs internal investigation into the ‘sexting’ scandal cleared Sam of any misconduct, contract breach or violation of the club’s code of conduct.
Sam was originally identified as the player at the centre of the affair after it emerged his Facebook account was used to solicit a nude video chat with a 23-year-old woman in May 2018.
‘What hurts me the most is seeing my wife upset’: In the immediate aftermath of the scandal in September 2018, Phoebe, who was then pregnant with her second child, pulled out of a public appearance but was otherwise publicly supportive of her husband in the weeks that followed
Leaked screenshots from the chat showed a man exposing himself and another man with his pants down.
It was never confirmed who the man in the footage was, but the social media account was verified in Sam’s name.
Just hours after the scandal came to light, Phoebe, who was then 26 weeks pregnant, pulled out of an appearance at Randwick Racecourse. She was expected to appear as an ambassador for Colgate toothpaste.
What went wrong? While Phoebe did not speak publicly about the incident specifically, she expressed support for her husband via social media
Burgess’s rugby-playing brothers both stood by him during the controversy.
While his wife Phoebe did not speak publicly about the incident specifically, she expressed support for her husband via social media.
During the scandal, the Rabbitohs star thanked his family for helping him through a ‘tricky few days’, before adding: ‘Fortunately, I’ve got a strong wife’.
‘What hurts me the most is seeing my wife upset,’ Sam said at the time.
That’s odd! Sam and Phoebe’s third wedding anniversary was on December 28, but it appears neither of them marked the occasion on social media. Pictured on their wedding day