Nicky Brownless has made her first public appearance since splitting from husband Billy – supported her two glamorous daughters at the Oaks Day races.
The 48-year-old has kept a low profile since leaving her former football star husband for his best friend and fellow ex player Garry Lyon in late 2015.
Speaking inside Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse on Thursday, Nicky said she was anxious about facing the public for the first time since news of the affair broke.
‘I’m so nervous,’ she told Daily Mail Australia before entering an exclusive tent with daughters Lucy, 21, and Ruby, 19, ahead of the annual Ladies Day event.
Nicky Brownless has made her first public appearance since splitting from husband Billy – flanked by her glamorous daughters Ruby, left, and Lucy, right
‘I’m so nervous!’: The 48-year-old said she was anxious about the press-filled day that awaited her
Nicky has kept a low profile since leaving her former football star husband for his best friend and fellow ex player Garry Lyon. Nicky and Billy Brownless (left) are pictured with Garry and Melissa Lyon before both couples separated in 2012
Speaking to the Herald Sun last month, Nicky said she was still happily together with Garry Lyon, 50, despite the huge public uproar the relationship created.
‘We’ve all moved on and everyone is happy and we’re just getting on with life,’ she told the publication.
‘You get to a point in your life where you just want to be happy.’
Nicky splits her time between Lyon’s home in Melbourne and hers in Geelong. Her two eldest daughters live together in South Yarra.
‘Life’s busy, I’m up and down a lot,’ the mother-of-four said.
In addition to taking on a number of ambassador roles, Lucy is studying nutrition while Ruby is undertaking a styling course at the Whitehouse Institute.
Both daughters said they were looking forward to joining their mum at the races.
‘I think everyone is comfortable where everything is at, we’re all really close as a family, our family is fine so everyone else should be as well,’ Lucy said.
‘I think everyone is comfortable where everything is at, we’re all really close as a family,’ Nicky’s eldest daughter Lucy (right) said last month
Billy Brownless is pictured with his daughters Lucy and and Ruby in 2015
‘We’ve all moved on and everyone is happy and we’re just getting on with life,’ Nicky said last month
Garry Lyon opened up about the affair with the wife of his ‘good mate’ Billy Brownless in an emotional interview in January.
The father-of-three sat down for a candid chat about his mental health struggles, return to public life and his relationship with Nicky.
A tearful Lyon admitted he had not spoken to Brownless since before Christmas 2015, while the affair became public knowledge weeks later in early 2016.
The pair were briefly reunited in grief at Lou Richards’ funeral in March this year, but are not believed to be on speaking terms – despite previously holidaying together with their families.
In March 2016, Brownless opened up about the toll the affair has had on his family, saying ‘a good mate wouldn’t do that’.
He said he believed the affair could have been going on for up to four years.
Nicky and her daughters Ruby and Lucy, aged 19 and 21, walked into an exclusive tent on Oaks Day races (pictured last year at the races)
Nicky splits her time between Lyon’s home in Melbourne and hers in Geelong. Her two eldest daughters live together in South Yarra (pictured is Ruby)
Best friends: Brownless (left) and Lyon (right) have reportedly not spoken to each other since news of the affair broke in late 2015
‘I couldn’t believe it. I found out three or four months ago. I asked Garry and Nicky earlier on what is going on and they said they were just good friends. That’s what hurts the most,’ Brownless told the Footy Show.
‘By law it’s legal. Morally it’s wrong. We all know our rights and wrong. You don’t touch a man’s wallet, you don’t touch his wife.’
Lyon said his relationship with Nicky Brownless being forced into the media spotlight has been ‘a lot to deal with,’ especially after his separation from Melissa.
‘I haven’t spoke to (Billy) since before Christmas previously,’ Lyon said. ‘I spoke to Bill before this became public and beyond that, it’s something for he and I to work through and we’ll do it’.
Lyon and Brownless had been friends for 15 years and worked together on the popular AFL Footy Show on Channel 9 between 2009 and 2015.
Lyon’s battle with depression became public after he took leave from the Footy Show after falling out with Brownless.
In addition to taking on a number of ambassador roles, Lucy (right) is studying nutrition while Ruby (left) is undertaking a styling course at the Whitehouse Institute
Lyon and Brownless (pictured right) had been friends for 15 years and worked together on the popular AFL Footy Show on Channel 9 between 2009 and 2015