Latest news with #BenCousins
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Reformed footy bad boy Ben Cousins stuns a valued member of his team with a classy act
Ben Cousins has once again shown how far he's come, surprising a departing West Coast Eagles staff member with a thoughtful gift that left fans and colleagues touched. The former West Coast captain, once considered one of the most troubled figures in Australian sport, recently donated a personally signed boot to ticketing coordinator Jess as a farewell present. 'Thank you for all your help, we drive you mad, I know,' Cousins said as he surprised her with the gift. 'Thank you very much, I do appreciate it, I hope that's all right.' Jess, clearly surprised by the gesture, thanked him and said, 'You didn't have to.' 'It's the least we can do,' Cousins replied. The club's social media team shared the moment, writing, 'A special farewell gift from Cuzzy to thank our Ticketing Coordinator Jess for her time at the Eagles.' Fans quickly flooded the comments, praising the act and Cousins' continued involvement with the club. 'So good to see Cuz at the club and looking so healthy,' one wrote. 'He is such a lovely person! So friendly and genuine,' said another. 'That's awesome Ben, all the best Jess,' a third supporter posted. Some couldn't help but comment on Cousins' physical condition, joking about a potential comeback. 'Get him on the list, looks fitter than when he was playing,' one said. 'So ripped - give him a West Coast jumper and get him out there,' another wrote. The once-troubled footy star also had a stint on the hit television show Dancing with the Stars 'Benny looks like he should come out of retirement and join the team,' one fan added. The moment follows a string of humble, generous gestures from Cousins in recent years, signalling a dramatic shift from the life that once saw him hit rock bottom. In May 2025, Cousins attended the memorial service for his former teammate Adam Selwood, who died aged 41. He stood beside his 2006 premiership teammates in a show of unity and support for Selwood's grieving family. Cousins also visited close friend Chass Guthrie in Brisbane shortly before his passing from cancer, later sharing a heartfelt tribute online. In another touching story, a fan recently revealed that Cousins privately visited his seriously ill wife at Fiona Stanley Group Hospital. 'Legend on and off the field,' the fan wrote. Cousins' past is no secret. The Brownlow Medallist fell from grace following years of drug addiction, arrests and suspensions. He was banned by the AFL in 2007 and served a prison sentence in 2017 after a string of offences. For a time, he was known more for court appearances than football highlights. But since his release from prison in 2020, Cousins has committed to a better path. In 2021, he made a low-key public return, appearing at the Brownlow Medal and later working with 7NEWS Perth as a boundary also joined local football club Queens Park and began contributing to community fitness programs.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ben Cousins like you have never seen him before! Embarrassing picture of the AFL great emerges from wild wedding ceremony
Ben Cousins has become a laughing stock on the internet after an embarrassing picture of the AFL great made its way around the media sphere. Ben, 46, who played for the West Coast Eagles and the Richmond Tigers between 1996 and 2010, attended what's being dubbed as ' Perth 's most outrageous wedding' to celebrate the marriage of Lisa and Josh from Ellenbrook. However, it's Ben's attire that really had his fans stumped. The footballer attended the nuptials dressed as Woody from Toy Story, complete with the iconic yellow and red striped shirt, a cow print vest, a red scarf around his neck and ye old cowboy hat. And while the ensemble may seem bizarre for a wedding, it certainly wasn't the weirdest outfit on the big day. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The ceremony, which took place at Barrett Lane Function Centre in the Swan Valley, saw attendees wear weird and wonderful costumes as the bride and groom put a unique twist on exchanging vows. To name a few outstanding details during the nuptials, the bride skydived into the ceremony, the groom dressed as the Devil, radio host Kymba Cahill was the celebrant and wore a dress made of balloons and the bouquet was made out of broccoli. What's more, Ben himself was a flower boy and made the wedding cake. The crazy wedding was hosted by Mix 94.5's Pete & Kymba with Ben Cousins after Lisa and Josh won a competition on-air that saw Western Australia listeners choose their wedding for them. The ceremony's every detail from start to finish - including the location and attire - was determined by listener votes on Instagram, resulting in the ultimate Western Australia wedding. Perth radio personality Kymba revealed back in 2023 that beyond her on-air persona she leads a clandestine life as a marriage celebrant with a rock and roll twist. The radio host underwent formal training to officiate weddings for her close friends. Of course, the media star has now began discreetly presiding over union ceremonies on Mix 94.5 Pete & Kymba's breakfast show. 'I am a celebrant. I am an authorised marriage celebrant,' she excitedly revealed to PerthNow.. 'I became authorised over a year ago and I have just been keeping it a secret.' Describing the process, she shared: 'I did the standard legal celebrant training.
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Mix 94.5 breakfast announcer Kymba Cahill walks away from social media after online bullying
A breakfast radio announcer has switched off social media after strangers continuously bullied the presenter online. Broadcaster Kymba Cahill took several weeks off from Mix 94.5's breakfast show with Pete Curulli and Ben Cousins after incessant abuse left her feeling like she could not do her job effectively. 'People were getting nasty, and they were personal attacks, it wasn't about you've said this and I'm not okay with it,' she said. 'It was them really going for the jugular about the type of person I am, suggesting I was a fraud or wasn't supportive or the person I'd made myself out to be.' Ms Cahill said it deeply affected her because she had shared so much of her life on air. 'For people to suggest that it was some sort of an act, or some sort of lie was just so hurtful,' she said. Ms Cahill felt compelled to respond to a few people, but it weighed so heavily on her mind she was barley sleeping, tired and exhausted from constantly thinking about it. Her mind whirled with thoughts about what she had said and questioned if she had done something wrong. 'If you broadcast when you have those thoughts in your head, you almost can't get a sentence out,' she said. 'You're second guessing what you're going to say, or how someone is going to react, or what word you should use. 'It limits you so drastically you can't manage, so I took time off to make sure that I came back as the best version of myself.' Felling like she had to justify herself to strangers was taking up so much of her mental space, Ms Cahill said she wasn't present in other parts of her life. 'It becomes foreboding, it feels like it's chasing you around and I don't think that's healthy,' she said. 'I would replay conversations in my mind or think, 'I wish I had come up with this. 'Even when it's done our brains sometimes keep this loop and I did not want this feeling in my life.' Ms Cahill decided to turn off social media to remove the external noise she could not control, and while it has made things easier in her life she does miss the positive interactions she had with people on social media. 'I have missed the occasional friend who said, 'you missed my daughter's first birthday,' because I wasn't online to get the invite,' she said. 'But ultimately, shutting everything else down has been really positive. 'It's a lot easier, it is better for your mental health, and it's better for your wellbeing. 'While social media might have started out with the best of intentions it has shifted to a place where we all need to be confident and courageous to say, I'm stepping away from this and whatever that looks like is fine. 'Sometimes you need to call friends or you need to stay in touch with people in a different way, and that's okay.' Beyond Blue chief executive officer said Georgie Harman said social media could be a double-edged sword when it came to mental health. 'On the one hand it offers connection and sense of community, but on the other it can expose people to harm and abuse, and contribute to low self-worth, body image concerns, anxiety, and depression,' she said. 'Social media use is not a black and white issue. The relationship we each have with it is complicated. 'It's how we use it and what we're exposed to that matters. But what is black and white is that the social media companies have to be held to account for the unsafe design elements of their products.' Ms Harman said social media companies needed to step up to ensure moderation protocols reduced people's exposure to harmful messages and content. 'The evidence around the benefits of a digital detox is mixed but we know for many people, taking a break, even for a short time, can be calming,' she said. 'It gives your mind space to rest, reduces the pressure to constantly engage, consume or compare, and helps you reconnect with other parts of your life that are also important to you. 'The thing is that the tech companies don't make it easy for us to do this. They really need to step up and focus making the social media platforms safer, better for us and less likely to cause harm.' Ms Harman said online bullying could be relentless and deeply harmful, especially when it came from anonymous sources. 'Receiving these kinds of harmful messages makes people feel unsafe, isolated and disconnected. It's dehumanising in many cases, it affects self-worth, it's distressing and over time it can really erode someone's mental health,' she said. 'We all need to be kinder and more respectful of each other online.' Australian Psychological Society president Sara Quinn said social media could be a breeding ground for cyber-bullying that can have severe consequences on mental health, especially for younger users. Dr Quinn said cyber-bullying on social media was complex because it brought those problems into the bedroom, and meant victims were unable to escape from the bullying. 'It's a real challenge because often social media keeps people connected, but and at the same time we know it can be quite harmful for the individual,' she said. Dr Quinn said people should consider turning off their notifications and deliberately choose what content to view and what content not to view for relief from too much exposure. 'It can be really difficult, because it gives us so much joy to be attached to those and to have contact, and that fear of missing out is a real thing,' she said. 'Strengthening offline relationships and focusing on face-to-face interactions can actually provide a nice reality check against those little curated versions online. 'We know that that actually reduces some of that feeling of inadequacy and promotes that sense of belonging, acceptance that people are really fighting for. 'You might have to make those bids for connection outside of that, rather than on social media. 'It also mean you have the opportunity to have really good, meaningful conversations because you haven't seen what's happened in their life on social media, you can actually hear it from them personally.'
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ben Cousins in mourning as a SECOND good mate of his dies young in the space of a few days
Ben Cousins has posted an emotional tribute after losing a good friend to cancer last week, with the tragedy coming just before he also lost his premiership-winning footy teammate Adam Selwood. The West Coast Eagles great's good friend Chass Guthrie lost his battle with the killer disease last Tuesday, just weeks after Cousins caught up with him in Brisbane. 'A time to tip the hat to my friend @thechasslounge,' he wrote on Instagram on Wednesday night. 'I admired your approach to life, loved your sense of humour and gentle nature and have been amazed by your strength. 'I'll miss you. Rest in peace.' Guthrie's loved ones hailed him in a separate post soon after he passed away, praising him as a 'gifted artist and musician'. 'It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of Chass Guthrie—beloved father of Oscar, much-loved partner of Julez Donna, son of Mark and Linda, and brother to Verity Guthrie and George Guthrie,' the post read. 'After a long and courageous battle with cancer, Chass passed away peacefully on Tuesday night—held in love and surrounded by those he loved. 'Chass was a rare soul. A gifted artist and musician whose creativity ran deep. Quietly brilliant and wickedly funny, he moved through the world with thoughtfulness and heart. 'Those who knew him felt it—whether through the music he made, the conversations he sparked, or the quiet strength he carried.' Cousins - like his West Coast teammates - would be reeling from the tragic death of Selwood, who played alongside him in the Eagles' 2006 grand final triumph. Selwood, 41, died on Perth last Saturday in a tragedy that has shaken the footy world to his core, especially after his twin brother and fellow footy star Troy also took his own life in February. His Geelong icon brother Joel paid tribute to Adam in a heart-wrenching statement on Wednesday night. The former Cats captain took to Instagram to publish a series of pictures of himself and Adam and his brother Scott.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
AFL world responds after news about Ben Cousins and Daisy Pearce comes to light
AFL fans are still heavily divided over what role Ben Cousins should be playing in the game after Channel 7 revealed this week he'll be commentating on games in Western Australia this season. The former Brownlow Medallist will join the free-to-air network's commentary team for Eagles and Dockers games in 2025, and will be joined by Daisy Pearce. Cousins and Pearce will work alongside former West Coast player Mark LeCras and ex-Dockers skipper Shaun McManus, as Seven looks to provide WA viewers with a more local commentary team. The new-look team will call Sunday games at Optus Stadium involving the Eagles or Freo, including the Western derby in Round 3. 'WA footy fans will finally hear the voices they know and trust with a parochial call on the teams we love so much," said Seven West Media's WA chief executive Maryna Fewster. 'This is a game-changer for fans, who can enjoy Perth games, called in Perth.' Pearce had to scale back her commitments with Seven after taking on the West Coast AFLW coaching role in 2023. But she'll be back behind the microphone at various stages in 2025. As for Cousins, his foray into commentary comes amid his rehabilitation and attempt to get his life back on track. The 46-year-old has turned his life around in recent years after a well-documented drug addiction that saw him spiral out of control and spend time behind bars. Cousins played 238 games for West Coast, but his off-field troubles cost him the club captaincy in early 2006. After a Brownlow Medal in 2005 and a premiership in 2006, Cousins was sacked by the club after the 2007 season. He returned to the AFL in 2009 to play 32 games for Richmond before he retired at the end of 2010. He's had multiple run-ins with the law since his playing days ended and was jailed at one point, although he's been on the straight-and-narrow for a number of years. He's been working with 7News for their 6pm bulletin, and appears much healthier and happier than he was at times in the past. Some AFL fans are happy to see Cousins get his life back on track, but many more don't think his past indiscretions can be forgotten. Opinion was heavily divided on social media when his new commentary gig with Channel 7 was announced. Once again screaming into the void about Western Australia and Channel 7 giving Ben Cousins airtime. I'm all for someone turning their life around, but for a known DV Offender I think it's for the best that they do it out of the public eye. — CassandraDaly (@cassvag) March 6, 2025 Tellingly, the AFL have stated they won't be indicting him into the Hall of Fame anytime soon. The West Coast Eagles champion has been eligible for the Hall since 2013, but has consistently been overlooked due to his chequered past. Typically, players who have found themselves embroiled in off-field controversy after their AFL careers are made to wait before their induction. Gary Ablett Sr - another controversial figure in the footy world - had to wait several years before he was finally inducted in 2005. Wayne Carey was recently blocked by the AFL from receiving legend status at the NSW Football Hall of Fame ceremony. His planned induction was set to take place on the same weekend the AFL honoured victims of gender-based violence, and the league vetoed his induction. Carey was overlooked twice before being inducted into the AFL Hall in 2010. RELATED: Channel 7 detail and $4.5 billion deal behind AFL's decision on cyclone AFL takes action amid furore around Damien Hardwick and partner Speaking last year, Cousins responded after it emerged the AFL hadn't serious considered him for the Hall. 'I totally understand their decision," he said. "I, like everybody else, will sit there and be looking forward to celebrate whoever gets in this year. "That's just the way it is. I'm sure there's a number of things that come into play when making those tough decisions. I wouldn't like to be in their shoes and yeah, there's no, no ill will or animosity from my end."
