Home and Away actress Emily Symons has long been a stalwart on Australian screens, and her role as the cool, calm collected mother-figure Marilyn Chambers has done nothing but propel her into the public eye.
Indeed, the prolific Summer Bay character has had plenty of ups and downs, much like a lot of the show’s locale, but interestingly, the woman behind Marilyn seems to have had just as interesting a life.
Emily, 50, is a mum to four-year-old son Henry – a happy surprise who arrived when the actress was 45 years old and with former partner Paul Jackson.
The Aussie golden girl has said of the moment, “I very much thought it couldn’t happen and I was too old,” but after trying IVF, she fell pregnant and welcomed Henry by caesarean at 38 weeks.
There was no looking back for Emily, who told Mother & Baby in 2017: “I didn’t mind because it’s taken me all these years to have a baby [and] as long as he was healthy, I didn’t mind how he came out.”
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Emily and her young son, Henry, share an incredibly special bond.
(@emilysymons_/Instagram)But less than a year after the miracle birth of her son, fans were saddened to learn that Emily and her partner Paul had decided to separate.
Paul, who was a Nova Entertainment group programming director, reportedly moved out of the pair’s Sydney property along with his three older children, Tommy, Georgia and Grace. All three of the older children are from a previous relationship.
While the news was no doubt tough to come to terms with at the time, a representative for Jackson confirmed that the pair “remain proud parents of Henry,” who was then 11 months old.
Emily split from long term partner Paul in 2016.
(@emilysymons_/Instagram)Henry has likely remained Emily’s rock throughout the last few years as she has continued to raise him while working on Home & Away.
But the actress’ strength is even more apparent when one looks at her romantic history before even Paul, who she was with for almost four years.
We take a look at Emily’s relationship highs and lows over the years.
Has Emily Symons been married?
Before her recent relationship with Paul Jackon, Emily was married twice.
She had a two-year-marriage with Nick Lipscombe, a drummer who she met in London around the time she had her very first stint on Home and Away.
The pair married in 1992, but ended things in 1995 when she returned to Australia, and the Palm Beach-based soap itself.
Reprising her role, she remained there until 1999.
Emily had a stint on iconic British soap, Emmerdale.
(ITV)In the early 2000s, Emily lived in the UK again, where she became a familiar face on another iconic soap – Emmerdale.
Playing the role of local pub landlady Louise Appleton, Emily was well into her TV career.
Around the same time, she began dating the son of WH Smith founder, Lorenzo Smith.
The pair married in 2003, but later divorced in 2005.
WATCH: Emily Symons discusses her career with Phillip Schofield. Story continues…
In 2010, Emily reprised her role as Marilyn once again on the Aussie homegrown show, and it looked like this move, more than any other, was for keeps.
She struck up a relationship with Paul shortly after her return.
Together, Emily and Paul commenced the journey of IVF together.
Emily previously sang Paul’s praises during the trying time.
“I couldn’t do it anymore, but we persevered. I’m so glad we did,” she previously told New Idea.
Does Emily Symons have a partner or husband?
At present, nothing is confirmed to suggest Emily has a partner in 2020, though she continues to set a beautiful example of living an incredible, love-filled life with her young son.
“Watching Henry enjoy little things like going to the supermarket in the car has made me realise that it’s these things that matter,” she told Mother & Baby.
“I lost my mother in 2010 and I forgot how to be a happy person.
“Henry has bought so much joy with him and he’s really taught me how to enjoy my life again.”
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