There’s no denying the fact that Sophie Monk’s fairytale ending to The Bachelorette has been tarnished, as her new relationship with publican Stuart Laundy has taken a series beating since the finale aired last week.
“We are getting smashed,” Sophie, 37, told KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O on Tuesday morning, after calling in to set the record straight about split rumours that have plagued the pair from the moment they went public with their relationship.
“We have not broken up, we are together,” she confirmed while on the phone from her hotel room, where she was staying with Stu, 44.
Stu also insists his new relationship has staying power.
“We are very well-suited,” he spills to OK!, saying there are no worries on his part.
Well, besides how the show has affected his four daughters, whom he shares with soon-to-be ex-wife Rachel.
“The only concern I have had thus far throughout the entire process is the wellbeing of my children and the negative impact on them,” Stu tells.
“People’s opinions can hurt kids, which I don’t think they realise.”
Rock solid and committed to making it work, the couple even admitted they’re ruling out the “kiss of death”… matching tattoos! “God no,” laughed Soph when fans suggest they prove their love with matching ink.
“Have you noticed that everyone breaks up after doing that? That’s going,’You’re miiine!'”
Though Sophie still hasn’t met Stu’s children, she isn’t worried about it changing a thing. “I have dated a man with children before,” she tells.
However, despite Sophie and Stu’s insisting they are “very happy” together, fans and industry insiders remain convinced the couple are now ‘faking’ their romance.
“She has played a trick on everyone and the ultimate prize is a great career, not a man,” 2Day FM radio host Em Rusciano said after seeing Stu and Sophie, whose rating-winning season cemented her status as Australia’s sweetheart, in their first public appearance together on The Project last Friday.
“She, to me, looked uncomfortable and cagey and like she didn’t want to be there,” Em told her listeners while chatting about the interview, where the couple were slammed for apparently having ‘zero chemistry’.
Sophie says there’s a simple explanation to their lack of PDAs.
“[They] are not our thing… we aren’t kids, we aren’t going to be all over each other,” she says.
For more on Sophie and Stu’s romance, check out the latest issue of OK!, on sale now!
