‘Spicy’ new love for Harriet Williams’ ex sends the eastern suburbs into meltdown… Plus, Dina’s toyboy lashes out at awkward rumour before their $8.4million apartment went to auction: THE GROUP CHAT

Welcome to The Group Chat with Lucy Manly, where Australia’s most-trusted society insider shares the hottest gossip BEFORE it makes the news. 

Andy’s new love after ‘sudden’ marriage split

If the dating pool in Sydney wasn’t scarce enough, it comes with a heavy heart that I announce Sydney’s most eligible bachelor, publicist Andy El-Bayeh, is off the market.

Just weeks after I revealed his plans to expand his creative agency Example in the Middle East, I spied him locking lips with designer and podcaster Raquelle Saba.

Their passionate clinch was snapped by Wittner shoes heiress and foodie content creator Lucy Rosenberg during a trip to Dubai last week.

Lucy’s caption, ‘Dubai is so lucky,’ all but confirms my scoop Andy is bound for the Gulf, even though he downplayed the gossip at the time.

Sydney’s most eligible bachelor, publicist Andy El-Bayeh, is off the market after finding love with spicy podcaster Raquelle Saba

Snaps posted by Wittner shoes heiress Lucy Rosenberg all but confirm my recent scoop that Andy is bound for the Middle East, even though he downplayed the gossip at the time 

Saba (left), from Melbourne, hosts sex and dating podcast Sugar and Spice. Andy’s split from Harriet Williams (together, right) last year made him one of Sydney’s most eligible bachelors

Their relationship looks to be quite serious, with Saba, a Melbourne girl, attending the businessman’s birthday shindig in March.

Saba co-founded clothing brand Raga Malak alongside Gadir Rajab – the man best known for being the stylist for Mrs Kanye West, Bianca Censori.

She also hosts the sex and dating podcast Sugar and Spice – though a recent episode on watersports was, frankly, too much even for these ears.

Andy has kept a relatively low profile since his two-year marriage to the wealthy kinesiologist Harriet Williams abruptly and mysteriously collapsed last year.

The split, which hit the headlines last August, was described by society insiders as ‘sudden’ as they had been posting loved-up snaps together only weeks earlier while travelling around Greece and Italy with other couples.

The popular Bondi duo, who had been together for six years, said ‘I do’ during a three-day wedding in the Southern Highlands in March 2022.

The ceremony reportedly set them back a million dollars.

The epic 72-hour-long event kicked off with welcome drinks held in the historic halls of Osborn House. The newlyweds then tied the knot on the grounds of the Wollumbi Estate, exchanging vows underneath a picture-perfect forest canopy.

Their relationship looks to be serious, with Saba attending Andy’s birthday shindig in March

She certainly doesn’t seem to be the shy and retiring type – I’ll put it that way… 

Saba co-founded clothing brand Raga Malak alongside Gadir Rajab (left)- the man best known for being the stylist for Mrs Kanye West, Bianca Censori (right)

(In)voice in my head

Property developer and eastern suburbs toyboy Max Shepherd was in a chipper mood when I rang him days before his Darling Point apartment – the one he renovated with ex-girlfriend Dina Broadhurst – finally went to auction on Thursday.

‘We’re feeling confident,’ he said of the campaign with all the bravado of a man who’s done it a thousand times before.

Then I put a little rumour to him that turned the conversation sour.

You see, I’d heard Max had been so preoccupied finding a buyer for his blue-chip apartment that an invoice had slipped through the cracks.

Nothing major, I should add, and I don’t suggest he was trying to avoid paying. But whispers have a way of finding me…

When I asked if he’d be using his windfall to settle that bill, he snapped, ‘Yeah, I am not commenting on that. That’s all irrelevant with the property I have got.’

Message received!

Property developer and eastern suburbs toyboy Max Shepherd (left, with ex Dina Broadhurst) was in good spirits when I called him days before his Darling Point unit was due to go to auction

The apartment was first put up for sale last year with a $11.5million guide, but didn’t sell. It ended up selling prior to auction on Thursday, with Dina looking very pleased with the result

We checked in with Highland Double Bay director David Malouf last night who confirmed the unit had sold prior to auction for ‘around’ the $8.4million price guide

Max had been keeping his followers abreast of the looming auction on social media

Dina and Max – friendly exes, by all accounts – bought the harbourside unit for $5.2million in 2022 and transformed it into a breezy, modern paradise complete with a home studio tailor-made for an artist like Dina. 

They renovated it during their four-year relationship but never properly moved in.

The blue-chip apartment was first put up for sale late last year with a $11.5million guide, but they couldn’t find a buyer so the listing was yanked in January.

Dina, 48, told us at the time she’d had second thoughts about letting the unit go.

But sentiment only stretches so far. The flat, described in its listing as having ‘house-like proportions’, went to auction on Thursday via Highland Double Bay with a more realistic guide of $8.4million.

We checked in with Highland director David Malouf last night who confirmed the unit had sold prior to auction ‘for around the price guide’. 

The auction was held at Highland Double Bay’s offices (seen here), but Dina and Max’s pad was able to find a buyer before bidding began

Our photographer captured the moment a beaming Dina learned the good news the apartment she had been renovating for years had finally sold

The ‘nude artist’ paired a knit jumper with a short, white skirt that showed off her ageless legs

So congratulations to Max and Dina on their $3million windfall.

Indeed, our photographer spied a beaming Dina leaving the apartment that afternoon, and captured the moment she learned the home had sold.

After splitting from Dina in mid-2023, Max dated American actress and former Vanderpump Rules star Vail Bloom. He was even close with her children until the wheels came off that relationship in February.

I hear Max could be about to become a stepfather again after he was spotted cosying up to Simone Holtznagel at Justin Hemmes‘ Silver Party charity gala last month.

The former Australia’s Next Top Model runner-up shares daughter Gia with celebrity trainer Jono Castano. They split about nine weeks after their child was born.

And finally… guess who, don’t sue

Which playboy was prescribed a strong dose of antibiotics after a night of passion with a blind item regular resulted in a nasty infection?

That’s right, boys. Always play it safe.

As the saying goes, ‘If it’s not on, it’s not on!’

• The subject of this blind item is not mentioned or pictured elsewhere in this article

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