If you take a look at Beau Ryan’s social media, you’ll find the picture of a perfect family life, maintained by Beau alongside his TV commitments on Studio 10 and The Amazing Race.
The former sports star turned TV host is a doting dad and husband. However, his beautiful family is the result of a lot of hard work in the face of scandal.
The father of two had been married to his childhood sweetheart, Kara Orrell, for four years when media reports surfaced alleging that Beau had been involved in an affair with his Aladdin and His Magic Lamp co-star, Lauren Brant.
Since the pair have recovered from the cheating scandal, their marriage seems stronger than ever – further solidified with the birth of their son, Jesse.
We’re taking a look back at how they saved their marriage in order to create the family they have today.
Beau and Kara tied the knot in August of 2012, while Kara was pregnant with their first-born, Remi.
At the time, Beau was playing for the Wests Tigers in the NRL, having made his debut with the club five years earlier.
The pair recently celebrated 11 years together, with Beau posting a shot of their big day to Instagram, where they both cradled Kara’s baby bump.
“1 year married today. I love you more and more each day,” he wrote in October 2023. “So glad I bumped into you at Shellharbour Beach 20 years ago and rang your house phone, then your work phone until you went out with me.”
Things took their turn for the worse, however, in 2015, when the alleged affair became very publicised.
Lauren Brant’s fiancée at the time, Warren Riley, released the information in an exclusive with Woman’s Day, claiming to have found out about the affair while he and Lauren were holidaying in New Zealand.
He claimed to check her phone once he noticed her ‘acting strangely’ and found messages between Lauren and her friends where she claimed to have been intimate with Beau.
“I didn’t believe what I was reading … I can’t actually describe the feeling,” he told the magazine.
“It’s kind of a punch in the stomach. I felt completely sick and didn’t know what to do. Everything you plan for in life … it’s just shattering. It’s so out of character for her.”
Beau, who had retired from football some years earlier, and was working on the NRL Footy Show at the time, announced an immediate leave of absence, leaving for a holiday in Vietnam with Kara and Remi.
Reports at the time called it a “make or break” holiday, which was supported by his team at Channel Nine.
“Beau and his family are on holiday spending much-needed time together and we have no comment to make on their personal life,” a Nine spokesperson confirmed at the time.
Upon his return, Beau made an emotional apology, but did not mention Kara, Lauren, or the affair in any explicit terms.
Speaking generally, he said he wanted to “apologise to all of the people who have been hurt recently.”
“I want to thank everyone for their support … thank you to everyone who has been respectful of my privacy, I would love for people to continue to do that.”
WATCH: Beau Ryan’s apology after Lauren Brant scandal. The story continues below.
While Beau and Kara took another six months to rekindle, they were eventually ready to share, and agreed to a tell-all chat with Woman’s Day.
“It was like my whole world just fell apart. I was just really upset and embarrassed and all I could think about was my family,” Beau said.
While Kara grappled with the situation, she also had to become accustomed by the public interest in her private life.
“It was overwhelming. I was upset and confused,” she admitted.
However, Kara felt a strong determination to keep her family together.
“I know that Beau’s a good person. It’s not like he was this monster that I just couldn’t be around,” she said at the time.
“He was still a very beautiful person and a loving father. The grass isn’t always greener, and while it was a difficult situation, running from anything in life is never the answer.”
Stronger than ever, the pair went on to announce they were expecting a second baby in 2017, just a year later.
WATCH: Beau Ryan receives the COVID-19 vaccine. Story continues below.
They welcomed son Jesse in July 2017, announcing his birth via Instagram.
“Welcoming our beautiful baby boy Jesse Ryan to our family,” Beau wrote.
“We love you so much … Sharing your birthday with your beautiful Mum. So proud of and in love with @kararyan,” he penned.
These days, Remi is now eleven, and Jesse turned seven, with the family celebrating his July birthday earlier this year.
Beau and Kara work together to make sure the kids are cared for while Beau continues his television career.
“I absolutely love this job, but I miss the family like crazy when I’m on the road,” Beau said of his work hosting The Amazing Race.
“My kids are completely different to each other,” he told Now to Love.
“My boy is like me – he’s a bit crazy, but my daughter is quite chilled and calm. It tends to be my daughter and I versus the world,” he explained.
While the pair have claimed they don’t intend to have any more kids, Kara has also said ‘never say never’.
“I don’t think so, but Beau seems to think we could have 10! … I’d be happy if it happened but I also like the idea of two,” Kara told WHO in 2021.
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