Barnaby Joyce says Vikki pulled him from the depths of his depression

Barnaby Joyce has claimed a romance between him and his former secretary Vikki Campion was suspected by outsiders long before it ever started. 

In an interview with Kyle and Jackie O on Wednesday’s KIIS program, the former deputy prime minister explained how the pair were ‘amazed’ at the speculation.

‘So many times people thought we were in a relationship, and we weren’t even close. It amazed us. (We thought) where do these stories even come from?,’ Mr Joyce said. 

The 51-year-old said the blossoming affair began to take shape during a period where instead of ‘going out for beers’ he stayed in to have dinner with Ms Campion.

Barnaby Joyce (right, with son, Sebastian) has claimed a romance between him an his former secretary Vikki Campion (left) was suspected by outsiders long before it ever started

Alluding to his mental health struggle and an imminent downward spiral brought on by backlash of his affair, he said it was Ms Campion who stepped in to help.

‘All mates want to do when they go out is they want to have a beer, and…tomorrow night, have another beer – you think “I’m getting away with this”, but you’re not,’ he said.

‘What you need is a person who says “right, rather than have a beer, how about you you have dinner and watch television? That’d be a much better idea”.’

He said it was only natural in times where he was ‘under the pump’ with the stressful duties of his role that he became ‘very very close’ to Ms Campion.

‘You’re working with someone, and you get to know them better, and if you’re under the pump and you’re in a corner…you get to know each other better,’ he said. 

‘You’ve got such a small group of friends, a very small group of people get to know you very very well, and that becomes the issue.’

The 51-year-old (pictured at the pub) said the blossoming affair began to take shape during a period where instead of 'going out for beers' he stayed in to have dinner with Ms Campion

The 51-year-old (pictured at the pub) said the blossoming affair began to take shape during a period where instead of ‘going out for beers’ he stayed in to have dinner with Ms Campion

He said it was only natural in times where he was 'under the pump' with the stressful duties of his role that he became 'very very close' to Ms Campion 

He said it was only natural in times where he was ‘under the pump’ with the stressful duties of his role that he became ‘very very close’ to Ms Campion 

He said becoming close with Ms Campion was part of him moving away from ‘a self-destructive life’ which involved too much drinking and living alone.

At the pinnacle of his mental health deterioration, he recalled how people around him, including his wife Natalie and Ms Campion, noticed him spiralling. 

His battle with mental illness was discussed in his autobiography, Weatherboard and Iron (pictured), with him admitting there was a time he contemplated suicide

His battle with mental illness was discussed in his autobiography, Weatherboard and Iron (pictured), with him admitting there was a time he contemplated suicide

A period of denial eventually came to a head and was exacerbated in the media storm which followed news breaking of his affair with Ms Campion.

His battle with mental illness was discussed in his autobiography, Weatherboard and Iron, with him admitting there was a time he contemplated suicide. 

Mr Joyce compared his mental health to a ‘half-crazed cattle dog, biting everything that came near the yard’ in his book.

He also discussed features of Ms Campion which saw her transition from work colleague to the mother of his child, Sebastian, who was born in April this year.

‘Vikki liked reading and I liked reading…Vikki loved bushwalking…I love bushwalking and botany. Vikki would take pictures of clouds,’ he wrote. 

‘It infuriated Vikki that she was seen as the same silly little girl with no agency in her own life.’

Mr Joyce wrote about the features of Ms Campion which saw her transition from work colleague to the mother of his child, Sebastian, who was born in April this year (pictured together during an exclusive Sunday Night interview)

Mr Joyce wrote about the features of Ms Campion which saw her transition from work colleague to the mother of his child, Sebastian, who was born in April this year (pictured together during an exclusive Sunday Night interview)



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