The tumultuous fallout between Billy Brownless, his ex-wife Nicky and his new partner and Billy’s former best friend Garry Lyon seems to have settled after the three spent Christmas Day with their children.
Five years after the marriage breakdown that shocked the football world and caused a seemingly irreparable rift between the trio, they have been able to break bread together.
Former close friends and Footy Show co-hosts turned from friend to foe in 2016 when Lyon left his wife and began a relationship with 18-year-old Brownless wife, Nicky.
The two men’s marriages had ended before Nicky and Lyon announced they were dating, but Brownless still felt betrayed because they had previously told him they were “just good friends”.
After five years of bad blood, Brownless and Lyon began to reconcile earlier this year, when Brownless said they were in a “good situation”.
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Billy Brownless spent Christmas Day with his children, ex-wife and new partner – ex-best friend Garry Lyon – five years after the relationship shattered the duo’s friendship (pictured left to right, Max, Lucy , Nicky, Garry, Jan Smith, Ruby, Billy, Oscar)
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After five years of bad blood, Brownless and Lyon (pictured, second from left and third from right) appeared to have reconciled earlier in 2020, with Brownless claiming they were in a ‘good place’
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The photographs shared on Christmas Day showed the extent of this reconciliation, with the blended family spending the day together.
Brownless posed alongside Nicky and the four children they share: Ruby, Lucy, Max and Oscar in Geelong on Christmas Day.
Lyon has also featured in some of the happy snaps, showing that the men really seemed to bury the hatchet – years after leaving the Footy Show when the scandal erupted.
Brownless, 53, broached the issue with fellow AFL greats Sam Newman and Don Scott in an episode of the couple’s You Cannot Be Serious podcast in September.
“You know, I’m going to ask you this – people want to know how you and Garry Lyon are doing,” Newman said at the end of the podcast.
“At that point, of course, you’re going through all the different emotions,” Brownless replied. ‘ “Why me? And a little hate.
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Brownless posed alongside Nicky and the four children they share, Ruby, Lucy, Max and Oscar in Geelong on Christmas Day (pictured, the four children with their dad, center)
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“But now, mate, it’s been four or five years, I’ve been here and everyone’s in a good position to be honest. Garry and Nicky are – that’s good – and the kids are.
“That was the other big problem. Young Maxy was around 10, Oscar was around 14, girls [Lucy and Ruby] were 16, 17. ”
Brownless conceded that he hasn’t fully regained the friendship with Lyon they once had – claiming the couple “might” be able to be friends as before at some point.
“There are no Christmas cards yet, but we have spoken to each other a number of times,” he said.
“The kids live with Garry and Nicky and things like that.
When asked how long it took him to get out of the split, Brownless said two years was too short, but five years could be more accurate.
“There are no problems, we are in a good space, he is in a good space, Nicky is, the children are and so am I.” But it took a long time. It’s true, ”Brownless said.
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Billy Brownless and Nicky Brownless (left) with Gary Lyon and Melissa Lyon (right) in 2012. Lyon started a famous relationship with Nicky – Billy Brownless’s wife for 18 years
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Brownless with daughters Lucy and Ruby at Flemington Racecourse in 2017. Brownless said in a podcast that the break-up was made more difficult by the young age of her children. “Young Maxy was about 10, Oscar was about 14, the girls were 16, 17,” he said.
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Garry Lyon and Nicky Brownless at a memorial for Danny Frawley in September 2019. Mr Brownless said he is now in a “good place” with his ex-wife and Lyon
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