She is the mum to his four daughters and the loyal wife credited with helping Barnaby Joyce win one of the highest political offices in the land.
Yet Natalie Joyce remains somewhat of a mystery in the centre of the increasingly unpredictable storm that is Barnaby’s life since he left her for a staffer, Vikki Campion.
“I doubt Barnaby and Vikki know Natalie was actually offered more money than the $150,000 they were paid for their television interview,” says one TV source.
READ MORE: Dear Vikki Campion, why it’s time to wave “Barna-bye” to Joyce…
“But that’s how much we wanted her to appear on Sunday Night. She’s the prize – not Vikki.”
One Seven executive confirmed Natalie had been offered an “open chequebook” to come onto the show and confront Barnaby, 51, and Vikki, 33, revealing she could’ve been paid up to $250,000 if she’d agreed.
“She never even considered doing it,” confirms one of Natalie’s close friends, who estimated she’s been offered a total of more than $500,000 to break her dignified silence and attack the woman she sees as a “homewrecker.”
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Dignified silence
“Nat has had so many offers, dozens of offers, from almost every single media organisation in Australia. But this one was so grubby, it was never even a consideration.”
“She’s strong and doesn’t need or want to share any more of her life with strangers. And Nat will always put her girls first. How do you think they feel about their father doing this?”
Even before the controversial interview aired last night, Natalie and her daughters were reeling from Vikki’s revelations, including that she and Barnaby were pressured to have an abortion when it became widely known she was pregnant with his baby.
“Everything was worth it for this,” Vikki told Sunday Night, holding baby Sebastian, who’s now six weeks old.
The former Deupty PM and Nationals leader resigned over the scandal.
She then revealed she couldn’t help falling in love with Barnaby, who employed her as his media adviser when their affair began.
With yet another scandal erupting for Barnaby last week as his former workmates – including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull – criticised him over the embarrassing paid interview, he tried to save face, claiming Vikki wanted to “make money out of” the unrelenting media interest.
READ MORE: Meet Sebastian Joyce: Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion’s baby son
Media adviser Vikki set up the TV deal.
Car crash TV
But one Seven executive confirmed that Vikki, an experienced media adviser, had been negotiating to sell their baby story ever since news first broke that she was carrying his baby in February, and did the deal direct with reporter Alex Cullen.
“Barnaby actually called 60 Minutes at the 11th hour a couple of weeks ago, virtually pleading with them to put in a bid. But Vikki hit the roof when she found out and demanded he sign with Seven, and agree that the $150,000 fee went to Sebastian and was not to be divided with his other children,” another source confirmed.
“Vikki is the professional media adviser and it’s Vikki who has completely orchestrated this interview.”
“She gave him no choice and poor old Barnaby signed his life away to Seven. Vikki is the professional media adviser and it’s Vikki who has completely orchestrated this interview. She saw it as a chance to tell her side of the story, and redeem herself to the public. She doesn’t think she’s done anything wrong, except fall in love.”
Natalie last week refused all invitations to speak out about the excruciating car crash TV interview, telling friends she didn’t feel the need to expand on the statement she released days after the affair and pregnancy became public knowledge, in which she said she was deeply saddened by the news.
With their children Odette, Bridgette, Caroline and Julia.
“This situation is devastating on many fronts,” she said in her only public statement about the affair that ruined their marriage and destroyed Barnaby’s political career.
“For my girls who are affected by the family breakdown, and for me as a wife of 24 years, who placed her own career on hold to support Barnaby through his political life.
“Naturally we also feel deceived and hurt.”
