Former Neighbours star Holly Valance has reportedly separated from her husband Nick Candy after 13 years of marriage.
The 42-year-old pop star married the property magnate, 52, in Beverly Hills, California, in 2012, and a year later had their first daughter, Luka Violet Toni. A second daughter, Nova Skye Coco, followed in 2017.
In recent years, the couple made headlines as prominent backers of the Reform UK party, with Candy bullishly claiming he will raise more money for the group than any political party in the UK has ever raised before.
Valance and Candy have chosen to separate following a “very difficult period” according to a family friend, who told The Sun: “They’ve had to juggle a demanding lifestyle. Between family, public life, and Nick’s intense work commitments, it’s been a tough balance.”
The source continued: “This is a family matter and they’re doing their best to handle things thoughtfully. Privacy is obviously very important to them both, so they can focus on what’s best for the family.”
The Independent has contacted Valance and Candy’s representatives for comment.
Valance met Candy in 2009 and proposed two years later. The couple married in 2012 in a £3m wedding in California in front of 300 guests, including Simon Cowell, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and their mother Sarah, Duchess of York.
The Australian star first found fame as Felicity Scully on Neighbours before launching a pop career with hits including “Down Boy” and “Kiss Kiss”, which reached number one in the UK singles chart in 2002.
Candy started his property venture with his brother Christian when they bought a one-bedroom flat in Earl’s Court, London, with the help of a £6,000 loan from their grandmother in 1995. After renovating the property while living in it, they sold it at a £50,000 profit.
It led to the launch of a property business, with the pair buying and renovating flats. They later gave up their day jobs in advertising and banking to launch Candy & Candy in 1999.
As Candy & Candy grew, so did the projects the pair took on. They spotted a gap in the market for high-end boltholes, with gadgets and security features, aimed at the nervy, super-wealthy international elite moving to London.
Among the firm’s big projects was the luxury residential and retail complex One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge, completed in 2011, with the penthouse apartments reportedly fetching some of the highest prices on record.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Candy is now worth around $2bn (£1.4bn).