They’re cooking together again! Following a six-month split – and some tough talking – Playing For Keeps star Madeleine West and celebrity chef Shannon Bennett have reunited.
The couple, who share six children and a 14-year romance, reignited the flame after brokering a peace deal that workaholic Shannon would spend less time on his restaurant empire and more with his family.
As a result, the couple have moved from their Melbourne mansion in upmarket Toorak to a palatial new home in northern NSW’s boho haven of Byron Bay, where they are living happily together.
“Madeleine gave Shannon an ultimatum and he willingly agreed,” a friend told New Idea. “He made no secret of the fact that he was pretty desperate to do anything he could to mend the separation and reignite the spark.
“Shannon is a very driven character, but he’s dialling it back in order to make Madeleine happy. It was quite difficult for her as a single mum. Now he has lost quite a lot of weight and they both seem chilled and contented. Life in Byron really suits them, and of course the kids are just delighted their mum and dad are together again.”
Madeleine recently posted an Instagram photograph of Shannon, one of the children and a large reptile, with the caption: SNAKE CHARMER @chefbennett23 lures the neighbourhood python away from the ducks by offering up a lunch of Small Child with a side of Cute Puppy. Steve Irwin couldn’t have done it better.”
Mega-rich Shannon, 43, made a fortune with his Vue de Monde restaurant and fine dining empire, but is best known to the public as a guest judge on reality cooking show MasterChef.
Gorgeous Madeleine, 38, first shot to fame as Dee Smart in Neighbours but recently became a bestselling author through her hilarious, candid parenting book, Six Under Eight. She has described being a mother of six as like “taming dragons”.
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