Arabella Del Busso reveals friendship with Shane Warne before memorial

Arabella Del Busso – the former NRL WAG notorious for duping Wests Tigers star Josh Reynolds into thinking he was going to have a child with her – has spoken of her close friendship with late cricket legend Shane Warne.

The glamour model-turned-prize fighter, 31, told Daily Mail Australia she was good friends with Warne for about six years, after they met through the boxing world.

Speaking before she attended Warne’s star-studded state funeral at the MCG on Wednesday night, Del Busso described the leg spinner as a ‘beautiful man’ and also revealed they spent time together just a week before his death.

Warne died aged 52 of a suspected heart attack on holiday in Thailand on March 4.

Inside Arabella Del Busso’s secret relationship with Shane Warne: The notorious former NRL WAG (pictured attending Warne’s state memorial at the MCG on Wednesday) has revealed she was ‘close friends’ with the Spin King for about six years

‘He was a good friend of mine. I knew him for at least six years,’ said the heavily tattooed socialite, who attended Warne’s memorial in a short black dress with a racy diamond-shaped cut-out across the bust.

‘We met through the boxing world, Jeff Fenech and those boys. He was a beautiful man,’ she added.

Del Busso said they would ‘always catch up for a wine and a laugh’ whenever Warne was back home in Melbourne.

She continued: ‘He would message to see how I was doing and what I’d been up to. He was excited for me when he found out I had a [boxing] fight scheduled for May.’

Del Busso claimed she and Warne had spent time together just a week before he left for his ill-fated trip to Thailand, meeting up to discuss his SevenZeroEight Gin company being one of the sponsors for her upcoming boxing bout. 

Bond: 'He was a good friend of mine. I knew him for at least six years,' the glamour model-turned-prize fighter, 31, told Daily Mail Australia, adding: 'We met through the boxing world, Jeff Fenech and those boys. He was a beautiful man.' (Warne is pictured here in August 2018)

Bond: ‘He was a good friend of mine. I knew him for at least six years,’ the glamour model-turned-prize fighter, 31, told Daily Mail Australia, adding: ‘We met through the boxing world, Jeff Fenech and those boys. He was a beautiful man.’ (Warne is pictured here in August 2018)

Del Busso was one of many Melbourne identities who turned out to farewell the ‘Spin King’ at Melbourne’s world-famous sports ground on Wednesday.  

About 50,000 people, including TV stars, sportspeople and politicians, were in attendance as family and loved ones paid tribute to Warne.

They also witnessed the Southern Stand being officially renamed the Shane Warne Stand in honour of the legendary bowler-turned-commentator.

Pals: Del Busso (pictured in a recent Instagram snap) claimed she and Warne had spent time together just a week before he left for his ill-fated trip to Thailand, meeting up to discuss his SevenZeroEight Gin company being one of the sponsors for her upcoming boxing bout

Pals: Del Busso (pictured in a recent Instagram snap) claimed she and Warne had spent time together just a week before he left for his ill-fated trip to Thailand, meeting up to discuss his SevenZeroEight Gin company being one of the sponsors for her upcoming boxing bout

Celebrities including singer Dannii Minogue, comedian Andy Lee and TV legend Molly Meldrum all attended the service, which was broadcast around the world.

Friends and family members shared fun anecdotes offering a glimpse of Warne’s colourful life and fun-loving personality.  

Meanwhile, his children, Brooke, 24, Summer, 20, and Jackson, 23, remembered their father for his unconditional love and support. 

Grieving: Celebrities including singer Dannii Minogue, comedian Andy Lee and TV legend Molly Meldrum all attended Warne's memorial service, which was broadcast around the world

Grieving: Celebrities including singer Dannii Minogue, comedian Andy Lee and TV legend Molly Meldrum all attended Warne’s memorial service, which was broadcast around the world 

Warne died aged 52 from a suspected heart attack while on a boys’ holiday on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand on Friday, March 4. 

Thai authorities ruled he died of natural causes.

He is survived by his three children, ex-wife Simone Callahan, parents Brigitte and Keith, and brother Jason.

Rest in peace: Friends and family shared fun anecdotes offering a glimpse of Warne's colourful life and fun-loving personality, while his children, Brooke, 24, Summer, 20, and Jackson, 23, (pictured) remembered their father for his unconditional love and support

Rest in peace: Friends and family shared fun anecdotes offering a glimpse of Warne’s colourful life and fun-loving personality, while his children, Brooke, 24, Summer, 20, and Jackson, 23, (pictured) remembered their father for his unconditional love and support

Del Busso made headlines three years ago after she sensationally faked pregnancies and miscarriages during her relationship with NRL player Josh Reynolds because she feared he would break up with her.

She later confessed to her deception under interrogation on SAS Australia in 2020.

After meeting the footballer on Instagram in December 2018, Del Busso had a one-night stand with him before claiming she was pregnant with twins.

She later told Reynolds she’d miscarried, before claiming she was pregnant again in March 2019, only to ‘miscarry’ again.

Scandal: Del Busso (right) made headlines three years ago after she sensationally faked pregnancies and miscarriages during her relationship with NRL player Josh Reynolds (left) because she feared he would break up with her

Scandal: Del Busso (right) made headlines three years ago after she sensationally faked pregnancies and miscarriages during her relationship with NRL player Josh Reynolds (left) because she feared he would break up with her

Del Busso claimed to have been pregnant once again in June, sending her then-boyfriend a series of 12-week ultrasound scans, which she’d actually found online.

‘I told my partner that I had a pregnancy scare, and I showed it to him and said it was ours, when in fact, it wasn’t our scan at all,’ she confessed to the SAS directing staff, after being pressed for the truth.

The ex-soldiers asked her what had prompted her to lie about the pregnancy, and Del Busso admitted the relationship was ‘coming to an end’.

‘I didn’t know how to deal with losing someone…’ she said.

Coming clean: She confessed to her deception under interrogation on SAS Australia in 2020

Coming clean: She confessed to her deception under interrogation on SAS Australia in 2020

When asked if her plan was to ‘cheat the person into staying with you’, Del Busso said she’d just wanted ‘to try and draw him back in’.

She then started to cry uncontrollably, and said she ‘hates’ talking about the scandal.

The DS told Del Busso she would never be able to move forward with her life if she couldn’t be honest with herself, before having her escorted back to the camp.

‘I have told a lie, but the way that I see it, a little white lie here or there is not going to hurt anyone,’ she later admitted.

But the interrogation left her feeling exposed and vulnerable, and the following morning, Del Busso announced she was quitting the series.

'I didn't know how to deal': The SAS directing staff asked her what had prompted her to lie about the pregnancy, and Del Busso admitted the relationship was 'coming to an end'

‘I didn’t know how to deal’: The SAS directing staff asked her what had prompted her to lie about the pregnancy, and Del Busso admitted the relationship was ‘coming to an end’ 

‘I’ve had to survive, I’ve had to make mistakes along the way to realise, “Okay, you know what, you can’t do that in life,”‘ she said.

‘But it is what it is. I can’t take it back. It’s just a matter of moving forward now.’

Before her interrogation on SAS Australia, Del Busso had avoided confessing to faking pregnancies and miscarriages while with Reynolds.

However, she did admit on 60 Minutes she’d passed off another woman’s ultrasound scan as her own ‘because I was being spiteful’.

Tough lessons: The DS told Del Busso she would never be able to move forward with her life if she couldn't be honest with herself, before having her escorted back to the camp

Tough lessons: The DS told Del Busso she would never be able to move forward with her life if she couldn’t be honest with herself, before having her escorted back to the camp

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