Home and Away‘s Zoe Ventoura and Strike Back star Daniel Macpherson have shocked fans by officially announcing their break up after five years of marriage.
The couple, who are notoriously private, took to Instagram on Sunday to post a matching photo and caption to announce the sad news.
“With the greatest respect for each other, Dan and I have separated,” former Packed To The Rafters star Zoe wrote.
“Together, we will continue wholeheartedly to raise our beautiful boy Austin. He is, and will forever be, our greatest priority ❤
“We ask for your respect and will be making no further comment.”
.jpg?resize=380%2C285)
Both Zoe and Dan shared the same photograph.
(Instagram)Former Neighbours star Daniel shared an identical caption with Zoe’s name in place of his own.
Zoe and Dan are both infamously hush hush about their personal life and although their first child, Austin, was born in December 2019, it wasn’t until early May that they officially confirmed his birth via a spokesperson.
The couple met and fell in love on the set of Channel Seven drama Wild Boys in 2011.
They secretly tied the knot in Noosa – the same place the actor proposed – four years later and recently moved back to Australia from LA.
The couple secretly wed in Noosa.
(Instagram)In a rare interview about his family life in May, Dan spoked on Samantha Gash’s podcast about the struggles of balancing parenthood with work demands.
During the podcast, Dan confessed that Austin hadn’t even been born when he made the decision to jet off to Ireland for work.
“That was even a harder conversation to have,” Dan said, reflecting on his choice to leave pregnant Zoe at home while he flew overseas to work on a yet-to-be announced project.
“This is almost a tricky topic because I’m on hiatus on a job that has not yet been announced and it is a big job, it’s a massive job for a massive company and I’m alongside an incredible cast.”
Dan’s often been torn away to work overseas, most recently in Ireland.
(Instagram)At the time, Dan said that he felt blessed that he has a partner who understands the demands of the industry, which allows him to pursue projects that are not normal and make it work.
“Thankfully I have a very understanding wife when I rang up and said, ‘Hey I think I might have got this job’, having told her that I was going to take at least three months off to come home and recover from seven months away and be there as a husband and as a new father,” he said.
“Thankfully I have someone in my life who understands the way I think and is open to that and it’s all working out.”
This story originally appeared on our sister site, New Idea.
