Phoebe Burgess on Sam Burgess' 'curated' SAS edit and marriage downfall
Phoebe Burgess has opened up in a raw and honest interview after her ex-husband, Sam Burgess, took out the winning title of SAS Australia.
The 32-year-old spoke to The Weekend Australian about her four-year-marriage to the former NRL player and the pain of his infidelity, drugs and partying.
Sam Burgess admitted on the Channel 7 reality show that he had “embarrassed” his ex-wife with his actions during their marriage, opening up about his affair and the downfall of their union.
Phoebe called Sam’s appearance on the show “a careful edit, a carefully curated comeback show”.
The former journalist detailed the moment she found out Sam cheated on her in 2017 with a Melbourne woman while he was acting as England captain in the Rugby League World Cup.
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“That was probably the worst night of my life,” Phoebe said. “I felt physical pain when I found out about that. I howled for about two hours on the ground.”
Phoebe went on to claim that she got tested for STIs twice while she was pregnant with her son Billy, as a result of her husband's cheating.
She also took aim at NRL officials for Sam not being "looked after" and "protected in the right way" after he turned to drink and drugs.
“These were things that I shouldn’t have been tolerating in a relationship,” she said of Sam's "substance-induced screaming rages", saying she would go to lengths to avoid them.
Indeed, Sam wasn’t shy about opening up about his marriage on SAS Australia. even saying they were “just not meant for each other”.
When fellow recruit Jana Pittman asked Sam how he and Phoebe met, he said: 'At a concert, and I never go to concerts. We were just not meant for each other.
“I was trying to force things - I wanted a family, I wanted kids, I wanted the dream, the house... I got it, had it all.”
Sam continued: “There were a few things I knew weren't quite right, but I thought I could change that and help that, mend that... I couldn't do it.”
Sam said he once rang his mother to ask her what she thought of his relationship, with his mother replying: “Sam, you're just never going to make her happy. I don't know how you've done two years”.
“I said, ‘I've got my kids, what am I supposed to do?’ - I didn't know what to do.”
In a piece to camera, Sam said: “It's best we're not in a relationship together. It's sad and upsetting, but also it's just life.”
Sam also brought up the downfall of his marriage in the very first episode he admitted that he was unfaithful during their four-year marriage and said that he had “embarrassed” his ex-wife with his actions.
Sam told the show’s instructors during his emotional interrogation that he doesn’t think he was “the greatest husband at times”.
Phoebe appeared to reply to her ex-husband’s claims with a not-so-subtle Instagram post.
The 32-year-old took to social media to share a screenshot and a link to a PDF book.
It was titled: ‘Charmed and Dangerous: A woman’s guide to reclaiming a healthy relationship’.
“We hope this sharing of information may assist you in your journey to achieving and maintaining a healthy relationship; a relationship based on trust, respect, positive communication, honesty and balanced power,” the introduction reads.
Although she didn’t make a specific reference to Sam or SAS Australia, her Instagram Story was posted just after she was mentioned a number of times on the military-training series.
“I embarrassed my wife,” Sam declared during his interrogation. “I had an affair with a woman in Melbourne, it’s true. I was away on tour and regretfully that happened, which would have been a tough place for Phoebe to be.”
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