Roxy Jacenko is arguably one of the most polarising personalities in Australia.
While the 38-year-old is known for running one of the most lucrative PR firms in the country, Sweaty Betty, it’s her personal life that constantly makes headlines around the country.
From her marriage to former investment banker Oliver Curtis – who served time in jail for insider trading and their children Pixie, seven, and Hunter Curtis, four, to her incredible career highs and cancer battle, her story is one that has intrigued Australians since she entered the social scene.
The businesswoman and her husband, Oliver,sat down with Sunday Night (watch the video above) for an emotional tell-all in late 2018, providing a rare insight into the couple’s marriage – with a special focus on the period Oliver was in prison.
“I started living a life as soon Ollie went to jail that was fast and indulged in things I shouldn’t have indulged in,” an emotional Roxy reveals in the teaser for the chat, before confessing she told her husband he was the reason she got breast cancer.
So to delve deeper into the background of the pair, here is everything you need to know about Roxy Jacenko and her husband, Oliver Curtis.
Roxy Jacenko and her husband, Oliver Curtis. (Source: Getty Images)
Roxy Jacenko and Oliver Curtis’ relationship
When you see photos of Roxy and Oliver’s wedding on Instagram, you would be forgiven for thinking that the nuptials at Sydney’s famous Quay restaurant, and their relationship had been without trouble.
However, the alleged true story of how the couple met is a far cry from drama-free.
In an extract from Annette Sharp’s explosive biography on the PR maverick, titled Blonde Ambition: Roxy Jacenko’s Untold Story, details exactly how Roxy met her now-husband were revealed – and it turned out, he was engaged to another woman.
The woman in question was Hermione Underwood, who Lara Bingle’s best friend at the time and had a rising profile thanks to her role in the model’s reality show Being Lara Bingle.
In fact, during the whole Michael Clarke/Lara saga which took place in March 2010, Lara even moved out of her Bondi pad she shared with the famous cricketer; and in with her then-bestie and her fiancée, Oliver.
“The apartment was the same one Curtis had once shared with his insider trading partner John Hartman, before their bitter falling out,” Sharp writes in the book.
(L-R) Lara Bingle and best friend and former fiancee of Oliver, Hermione Underwood and Oliver and Roxy. (Source: Getty Images / Instagram)
So where did Roxy fit in?
Roxy became friends with Sophie Curtis, who just happened to be Oliver’s sister.
Because of this connection, she soon met and befriended Hermione.
“Roxy and Hermione would become new best buds and Hermione would find herself discussing her wedding plans with Roxy, a woman known to have excellent and expensive taste in clothing, cars, property and men. The pair were only a few months into their friendship when Hermione invited Roxy to attend a PR event with her at the Woollahra Hotel,” Sharp says.
“One guest recalls there was a dinner at the Woollahra Hotel. They took a table. It was for a charity. It was Hermione’s event. Roxy went as Hermione’s guest. Sophie went as well and so did Oliver. Roxy arrived a bit later than the rest and she just walked in and took a seat between Hermione and Oliver. Oliver probably didn’t know what hit him.”
“At the end of the night, weary after organising the event, Hermione would head home after dinner, leaving Roxy and Oliver to party with friends.”
“Hermione would confide to friends that within twenty-four hours of their night at the Woollahra Hotel, her relationship with Curtis was over. She had been replaced that quickly.”
Roxy, who was five years Oliver’s senior, was in and Hermione Underwood was out.
However Roxy vehemently denies this version of events and insists both she and Ollie were single when they met.
“It was publicised that we both had partners but it was actually after and nothing really happened for a good four months. People talk like it was instantaneous. If only I was so lucky that everything would happen instantaneously,” she told Fairfax.
After their first child, Pixie, was born in August 2011, the pair went on to marry in March 2012 and had son Hunter in May 2014.
Roxy was wed to Oliver at Sydney’s Quay in March 2012. Their daughter Pixie was born August, 2011. (Source: Blumenthal Photography)
Oliver Curtis’ prison sentence
In June 2016, Curtis was sentenced to one year in jail for insider trading.
The former stockbroker was charged and convicted for the $1.43 million he secured through trades that were based on illegal tip-offs given to him by his childhood friend and former Orion Asset Management employee John Hartman.
“Mr Curtis has not embraced responsibility for his offending,” Justice McCallum said, adding he was driven by “self-interested pursuit of material wealth.”
Before adding she did not believe the 32-year-old felt remorse for what he did.
The Judge, Justice McCallum, said “Mr Curtis has not embraced responsibility for his offending.” (Source: NINE)
“It is wrong to regard insider trading crime as victimless,” she remarked.
Roxy stated to the court that her husband was the kids’ “primary carer” as she was often busy at her “24 hours, 7 days a week” job.
“If Ollie were to be sent to jail our children will lose the close relationship the have with their father for a period of time,” the Sweaty Betty PR executive said.
Later, Jacenko revealed that she had told Pixie that her father was in “China”.
In June 2017, Oliver was released from Cooma Correctional Centre and greeted by Roxy and his children who were waiting for him in a private jet.
WATCH NEXT: Roxy Jacenko talks about her toughest year yet. Post continues…
Roxy Jacenko’s cheating scandal
Jacenko found herself in hot water when she was pictured kissing her ex Nabil Gazal in April last year while Oliver was serving time in prison for insider trading.
While the entrepreneur had remained relatively tight-lipped about the shock kiss, she opened up about the awkward moment she discovered her infidelity had been caught on camera, during her In Conversation With Roxy Jacenko event in June this year.
“I remember vividly walking up to my mother’s apartment which is about eight stairs from my apartment and saying to her: ‘f**k me, I’m in trouble,’ because I had done something really really stupid.”
She added: “I just remember my mother’s face, I literally could’ve picked her jaw up from the floor.”
“I think everyone makes mistakes – mine are documented.”
Roxy was photographed by paparazzi kissing her ex-boyfriend Nabil in May last year after the pair and some friends enjoyed a post-dinner party at his Sydney apartment.
The explosive photos showed the old flames locked in a kiss, with Roxy’s arms draped around Nabil’s neck.
Despite her dalliance, Roxy and her husband Oliver reunited upon his release from prison with Ollie even re-proposing to his wife with a jaw-dropping 6.5 carat diamond ring by Nicholas Haywood.
WATCH: Roxy Jacenko and husband Oliver Curtis having a water fight. Post continues…
Roxy’s breast cancer diagnosis
Just three weeks after her husband was jailed, Roxy suffered another incredibly painful blow. She was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“The timing is extraordinary,” the mother of two told The Daily Telegraph.
“What I have experienced in the past three weeks is the most shocking thing I have ever experienced. I don’t think there is anything that could shock me more now,” she said at the time.
Roxy discovered a lump in her breast in July 2016. While surgery to have it removed was booked, it was delayed because the tumour was larger than it initially appeared to be.
Story continues…
In December of that year, she was given the all-clear, however, she revealed that after undertaking tests in the US, her oncologist told her that the cancer has a 15 per cent chance of returning.
While the news was hard enough, Roxy also revealed she had been forced to tell her husband over the phone.
After her diagnosis, Roxy’s priority was her health.
“After my cancer diagnosis in 2016, I realised that being fit and healthy was the most important factor in me overcoming my diagnosis and also being able to look after my children and businesses,” Roxy tells us.
“Since focusing on my health I have noticed an increase in what I can handle and also other smaller things like good quality sleep (albeit still only 3-4 hours!),” she wrote in an Instagram caption.
Roxy Jacenko’s career and networth
While her personal life has had a few setbacks, you can only applaud Roxy for her incredible work ethic and successful career as a businesswoman.
At the age of 24, her PR company Sweaty Betty was born.
The businesswoman also helped found The ministry of Talent and her daughter’s popular and successful business hair accessory business, Pixies Bows.
In 2013, at the age of 34, Roxy was a contestant on the Australian version of The Celebrity Apprentice.
She made it all the way to the finale, however was beat out by swimmer Stephanie Rice.
The PR maven currently boasts a net worth of approximately $13 million, mostly attributed to her Sweaty Betty empire.
