Actor Lincoln Lewis has broken his silence over the shock marriage split of his famous sporting father Wally from his mum Jacqui after 36 years together.
Rugby league Immortal and Channel Nine personality Wally Lewis shocked the sporting world on Monday night by confirming his separation from his wife and the mother of his three children.
The Queensland Maroons icon universally known as ‘The King’ for his domination of the code in the 1980s and early 90s, revealed he quietly split with wife Jacqui last year, adding he was now in a new relationship.
The bombshell news comes almost three months after Lewis sold his much-loved family home in Brisbane for a reported $2.1 million after less than a week on the market.
Former Home and Away star and Logie winner Lincoln Lewis, 33, the couple’s second child broke his silence hours later by sharing a cryptic Instagram story on Tuesday morning as he thanked friends who had reached out in the wake of the shock announcement.
Actor Lincoln Lewis (above) has broken his silence on the separation of his dad Wally and mum Jacqui
‘When you have a friend who checks on and wants nothing but the best for you without motives… keep them close, such souls are rare,’ Lincoln wrote.
‘Try to be like this as much as I can but wanna show some appreciation.. lucky to have such amazing people in my life.’
Lincoln shared several other Instagram stories while spending time with mates on the Gold Coast on Monday night before the shock news became public.
He has an older brother Mitchell, who’s a radio presenter with Nova and a younger sister Jamie-Lee, who was born profoundly deaf and has represented Australia in several sports, including touch football and water polo.
Jamie-Lee, 30, also broke her silence by sharing the same Instagram story as her brother.
‘Would do the same for others. So incredibly lucky to have amazing people in my life. Thank you,’ she captioned the story with a purple love heart emoji.
Wally’s estranged wife Jacqui refused to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
It comes after Wally confirmed the shock marriage split on Monday night.
Actor Lincoln Lewis (right) is still coming to terms with his parents’ shock separation. He’s pictured with dad Wally (left) at the 2014 Logies
Wally Lewis recently sold his Brisbane waterfront home (pictured) for more than $2.1 million
‘This is a deeply personal matter that we do not want to discuss publicly,’ Lewis said.
‘I want to acknowledge the pain and upset my family has gone through since Jacqui and I separated last year. I hope over time we can rebuild our ties and move on with life.
‘I will confirm I am now in another relationship and only ask for the media to respect our privacy.’
Lewis, 61, admitted it had been a ‘difficult time for everyone in the family’ and said the pair were still working through the details of the separation
The NRL immortal listed his waterfront family home in the Brisbane bayside suburb of Birkdale in November, which was sold within two days.
While the price wasn’t disclosed by First National Real Estate Bayside due to privacy reasons, it has surpassed the previous street record set four down when a home a few doors down sold for $2.1 million, Domain reported.
The reported price was almost four times the median house price for Birkdale.
The spacious five bedroom home overlooking the canal features an entertainers kitchen, four bathrooms, an inground swimming pool and tennis court.
Rugby league legend Wally Lewis has split from his wife of 36 years Jacqui (pictured together in 2016)
Wally Lewis with his family, including wife Jacqui, actor Lincoln Lewis (left) and water polo star Jamie-Lee Lewis (also left). Eldest son Mitchell is pictured right
The aerial view of the former family home of rugby league immortal Wally Lewis before it was snapped up for more than $2.1 million in November
The swimming pool at the stunning waterfront home in Birkdale overlooks the local canal
The shock marriage split comes just weeks after the NRL Immortal revealed how his battle with depression almost saw him take his own life.
Lewis, who had brain surgery in 2007 to combat daily seizures he had kept a secret since 1980, said he considered killing himself at his home in Brisbane when his then-wife Jacqui was running errands.
‘I had suicidal thoughts (after brain surgery) and found myself crying uncontrollably, for no reason,’ Lewis wrote in his recently released autobiography My Life, according to the Courier Mail.
‘I needed someone with me at all times.’
Another time Lewis walked past the pontoon on the canal at the back of his house and considered jumping in.
Thankfully, his thoughts quickly turned to his wife and three children and the chilling moment passed.
Lincoln Lewis uploaded this Instagram post as news of his parents’ separation become public
Lewis revealed he had since moved on with another woman, but kept her identity anonymous
Lewis owned the State of Origin arena in the 1980s and early 90s (pictured in action playing for the Kangaroos in 1988)
Lewis links his dark mindset to repeated blunt force trauma to the brain, which stemmed from his footy playing days.
‘Even as a junior, he was a marked man, getting concussed all the time,’ his mother June Lewis said. ‘I used to watch him in his bed while he slept.’
Lewis burst onto the scene as a teenager with Valley in 1978, quickly establishing himself as one of the premier players in the Queensland Rugby League competition before defecting to Wynnum Manly in 1984.
When the Brisbane Broncos were invited to participate in the Australian Rugby League (ARL) competition in 1988, he was the team’s pin-up boy.
He finished his club career with the Gold Coast Seagulls a few years later.
After retiring in 1992, Lewis made a successful transition into the media as a commentator with Channel Nine.
He was named an Immortal in 1999.