Latest news with #PackedtotheRafters
Sky News AU
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Packed to the Rafters star Erik Thomson finds love again with single mum in Tasmania following split from wife of 25 years
Erik Thomson has reportedly found love again, following the shock breakdown of his decades-long marriage to fellow actor Caitlin McDougall. The Packed to the Rafters star, 58, is now believed to be dating Courtney Simpson, a single mother based in Hobart, Tasmania, according to New Idea. While the pair have not made any official statement, their romance appears to be Instagram-official, with the couple sharing several affectionate posts over the past few months. In February, Courtney posted a sweet Valentines Day photo of the two together, writing: "Happy Valentine's Day my (love)," which the actor reshared to his Instagram Stories. More recently, she paid tribute to Thomson on his birthday on April 27, calling him her "love" and writing: "There's a version of him the world knows, and a version I get to keep- the one made of tenderness, complexity, and quiet strength. "He feels everything deeply, carries more than he ever lets on, and gives more than he ever asks for. Loving him is easy and fierce and real. I'm grateful for him, for all of it, every day." Just last Friday, Simpson shared a black-and-white snap of Thomson lounging with her dachshund, Hemingway. "Love is these two," she captioned the post. News of Thomson's relationship comes just months after it was revealed he and McDougall had quietly separated after nearly 25 years of marriage. Neither has commented publicly on the split. According to the Herald Sun, Thomson relocated to Tasmania last year, while McDougall remains in their former family home in Port Willunga, about 40km south of Adelaide, where she works as an artist from her coastal studio. The former couple first met in a pub while watching Adelaide's AFL Grand Final victory in 1997 and tied the knot two years later at Penny's Hill, a winery in McLaren Vale founded by McDougall's stepfather, Tony Parkinson. They share two children: daughter Eilish, 15, and son Magnus, 12. Last month, the Scottish-born Australian bravely opened up about his long-term battle with addiction during a candid interview on Rae Bonney's podcast, where he discussed the emotional challenges that came with his profession. "I really hung my identity on my profession, and as long as things were going well in my profession, things were going well for me," he said. "But if things slowed down, I started slowing down, and I started feeling like, 'Oh hang on, there's something wrong with me'." The actor admitted that how one navigates that downtime can "make all the difference." "I've done both (healthy and unhealthy coping), "he said. When asked about the "unhealthy" coping mechanisms, Thomson revealed he had struggled with sobriety on and off since 2011. "I've had long, long periods of sobriety, and I've had times where I've fallen off the wagon, and I've needed to find some solace or whatever in a drug, in something that I needed to just fill that hole," he said.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rebecca Gibney doesn't look like this anymore! Packed to the Rafters star unveils dramatic transformation
Rebecca Gibney has unveiled a dramatic hair transformation. The 60-year-old actress has been synonymous with her signature shoulder-length blonde tresses since she first appeared on Packed to the Rafters in 2008. On Monday, Rebecca took to Instagram to unveil a more natural look, showcasing her freshly cut brunette hair. 'Did a thing. Then stole my sons beanie. 60 going on 14. Some things never change,' she wrote, while thanking her hairdresser for 'indulging' the request. Rebecca couldn't contain her happiness in the carousel of pictures she shared. The actress' smile reached her eyes, as she showed off the shoulder-length bob cut and fresh highlights in her brown-toned locks in a few selfies. While the actress has occasionally dyed her hair brown for particular roles, she has always reverted back to her trademark bright blonde. Chestnut bronde, a blend of blonde and brunette, was declared the shade of 2025 by hairstylist Chris McMillan— the man behind Jennifer Anniston's hair on Friends. The in-between shade, seen recently on the likes of Ariana Grande, Hailey Bieber, and Margot Robbie, tends to trend in times of global economic hardship because it requires less salon upkeep. The change comes after the actress admitted filming the new season of Dancing With The Stars was 'the most challenging thing' she has ever done. 'Will I come out of it a pro dancer? No. Has there been tears? Yes. Lots. But it's also the most rewarding, amazing thing I've ever done,' she recently posted to Instagram. 'I've been asked a few times, and never been able to do it,' she told Stellar magazine. 'And I've always gone, "But I wouldn't anyway, because it's too hard and it's not my field." 'Then I found myself saying yes; the voice in my head said yes, even though the rest of me was going no,' she added. 'I was having this inner dialogue with myself, going, "What are you doing?" 'I realised that – particularly with turning 60, it's apparently the third act – I want to say yes more than no. 'I want to do things that frighten and challenge me, and hopefully that will give me a little bit extra longevity.' Rebecca is the fourth woman ever to be inducted into the TV Week Logie Hall of Fame. She follows Noni Hazlehurst, Kerri-Anne Kennerley and the late Ruth Cracknel.
