Billy Brownless has addressed the wild rumours he has split with his partner.
This week, the former Geelong player was spotted at the Australian Open with his partner of 18 months, Crystle Fleur, putting an end to the rumours that the pair have recently split up.
Later, while speaking to the Herald Sun, the 58-year-old confirmed the pair are still dating, saying they just hadn’t posted much on social media lately since returning from an overseas holiday.
“We had a trip away and we posted a bit, so just thought we’d go under the radar,” he told the publication. “A lot of people seem to have noticed.”
Billy and Crystle first began dating in 2024, a decade after Billy split from his ex-wife, Nicky Brownless.
“We love our footy and racing,” Billy told the Herald Sun that year. “She doesn’t like to get in pictures but it’s going well.”
In July 2025, the couple celebrated one year together, with Crystle sharing a loving tribute to her partner.
“Happy 1st anniversary to this amazing man!,” she wrote on Instagram .”365 days of love, laughter and amazing adventures as we fly off to start the biggest one yet! ❤️”
In 2016, Billy’s life was turned upside down when he discovered his wife was having an affair with his best friend.
Speaking to our sister publication TV Week in 2020, Billy said it took him years to recover after the news of his wife’s affair with his AFL Footy Show co-host Garry Lyon became public.
It wasn’t easy,” he said at the time. “It took me a solid two years to recover from it.”
Billy also admitted he was embarrassed that everyone knew what had happened in his private life.
“It took a while for me to go to a café or a pub and not think, ‘everyone is looking at me and they know,’” he continued. “But really, all of that was in my head.”
Billy further opened up about his divorce during his time on I’m A Celeb that year.
“It was um, public, very public, front pages and all that,’’ he said on the show. “We’d separated, which you know, surprised a few.”
“She left me, really. She just fell out of love which happens. 18 years (we were married). And I didn’t expect it,” he continued. “You think she’ll come back and all that, but she didn’t. So that was a real kick in the guts.”
Billy said he got another “kick in the guts” when he discovered his ex was dating Garry.
“But then you know about a year later, she’s um, shacked up with one of my good mates,” he said. “And he’s in the media too.”
“I couldn’t believe it,” the AFL great said on the show. “I found out three or four months ago that something was going on. I had a hunch. I did some investigation myself, sat Nicky down, and we had a chat and she told me.
“My initial feelings were, like anyone – you get angry. You’re headless, you’re angry.
“I shot of a couple of texts to Garry and to Nicky which you wouldn’t want to repeat on this show. And then after a couple of days, you get embarrassed.”
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