Big topics are being discussed on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Australia already this season.
Campmate Mia, who is the daughter of AFL legend Brendan Fevola and photographer Alex Fevola, opened up about her parent’s tumultuous relationship, and her dad’s infamous gambling addiction which even left the young family homeless at one point.
What did Mia Fevola say about her dad?
Sharing her story with her campmates, Mia recalled how Brendan was always “getting into trouble” and going out when he “wasn’t supposed to.”
She also touched on the highly publicised gambling scandal that saw her father lose $363,000 in one day, and how that experience still impacts her.
“The whole gambling situation I honestly block so much of it out as a defence mechanism,” she shared.
“I know he gambled $363k in one day, but to be honest my mum tried very, very hard to protect us from these things,” she added, before revealing that she only found out through someone at school.
Brendan Fevola’s gambling how wide-reaching impact on family
Mia explained the family “were homeless because he gambled every cent ever that we had” and this caused her parents to split.
Alex was left as a homeless, single mother who had no other choice but to move back into her own mum’s home in Melbourne.
Later, Alex signed up for Dancing With The Stars in 2010 to get herself and Mia back on their feet.
Rehab was hugely beneficial for Brendan Fevola
Sharing how her dad’s stint in rehab mended the family, Mia said: “He sorted himself out and really owned up to his mistakes.
Stating the obvious, the 26-year-old also quipped that he had “a lot of making up to do” to her mum. No doubt about that!
What has Alex Fevola say about her split with Brendan?
During an appearance on Mamamia’s No Filter podcast in 2022, Alex opened up about her tumultuous relationship with Brendan- in particular, how his history of gambling affected the family.
“At the lowest point, Brendan gambled an entire year’s worth of wages away. I couldn’t work out why the money wasn’t going in. There was no pay. I wasn’t working, and I had a newborn baby,” she said.
“Losing his job and hitting rock bottom made him the person he is today. He had to lose it all to appreciate what he has,” she continued.
When did Alex and Brendan reunite?
The couple eventually got back together, but then split again due to his highly publicised affair with Lara Worthington (formerly Bingle).
Alex and Brendan gave things another go shortly after, but subsequently split once more in 2014 due to his addiction issues.
The couple reunited for the final time after Brendan proposed in 2016 and they now have four children- Mia, Leni, 19, Lulu, 15, and Tobi, seven.
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