For weeks there’s been speculation that Sophie Monk’s relationship with Joshua Gross is on the rocks. Now an insider reveals that friends of the TV star have lined up the perfect man for her if things don’t work out: the recently single Michael Clarke.
WATCH: Michael Clarke shares touching video after divorce announcement
“Michael and Sophie share a lot of mutual friends and there has always been banter about what an amazing couple they’d make. Even though they’ve mingled in the same circle for about 13 years, the timing has never been right – when Michael was single, Sophie was taken and vice versa,” says a source.
“People have said for years that they’d be perfect together – they have a similar humour, and she’s exactly the type of woman that Michael goes for.”
Michael and wife Kyly announced their split last month after seven years of marriage.
“After living apart for some time, we have made the difficult decision to separate as a couple amicably,” they said in a statement.
“With the greatest of respect for each other, we’ve come to the mutual conclusion that this is the best course for us to take while committed to the co-parenting of our daughter.”
Since then Michael has been living in Bondi in the apartment he once shared with former fiancée Lara Bingle.
Designer Pip Edwards denied being in a relationship with him after being spotted leaving the property early one morning at the end of February.
She explained she was just supporting her friend, and that they were working on a project together.
Meanwhile, Sophie’s 18-month relationship with her marketing executive boyfriend appeared to be floundering earlier this month when the Love Island host apparently unfollowed him on Instagram. The couple are now both following and posting photos
of each other again.
In fact, last week Joshua shared a picture of a naked Sophie in a bathtub filled with toilet paper in a nod to the panic-buying gripping the country amid the COVID-19 crisis. He captioned it, “Feeling pretty safe from the corona virus right now.”
But while Sophie responded with a heavy hint that she’s hoping Joshua will soon propose, adding an engagement ring to her reply, “I might not do the washing and the cleaning. But I’ve got us forever”, the couple have yet to make any announcements.
Friends are wondering if the time could be right for Michael to step in and make a move.
“There’s a lot of talk amongst their pals that they should finally go on a date. People are hearing that Sophie and her man are on the rocks, so this could be Michael’s time, says the source.
Sophie has been very open about how she would love to settle down and have a family. Last October she revealed in an interview with WHO that she had frozen her eggs “because you never know down the track” and said she hoped she’d be pregnant in a year.
Sophie also joked that everyone knew she wanted Joshua to pop the question.
“I talk about it all the time. If he doesn’t hurry up … I couldn’t give him more of a message. It’s literally on the front page of the newspaper!”
Now if things don’t work out with her current relationship, the friend says that Sophie and Michael – who, in the past, has frequently talked about wanting more children – could become ‘Australia’s new celebrity couple’.
“People have started telling Michael that he should approach Sophie and open up the lines of communication. It’s early days now, but everyone close to Michael would love to see him
happy again.”
For more, pick up the latest issue of New Idea, on sale now.
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