She usually posts dozens of photos a week on Instagram, but Phoebe Burgess has remained silent on social media for the last couple of days.
The journalist-turned-influencer, 31, hasn’t shared a single post since her ex-husband Sam’s arrest came to light earlier in the week.
On Monday, the former NRL star was pulled over by police in his white BMW X5 at 1.30pm in Braemar, near Phoebe’s family estate in the NSW Southern Highlands.
Police will allege Sam, 32, returned a positive roadside drug test for cocaine, was driving an unregistered car, and has never held a New South Wales driver’s licence.
Quiet: Phoebe Burgess has maintained a dignified silence on social media since news of her ex-husband Sam’s arrest earlier in the week. The Instagram-savvy influencer last posted on Tuesday (pictured) at a children’s party, the day the news of Sam’s arrest came to light
Sam was on the way to pick up the children he shares with Phoebe, Poppy, four, and Billy, two, at the time of his arrest.
Since the news of Sam’s latest drama came to light on Tuesday morning, Phoebe has not shared anything with her 80,900 Instagram followers.
The social media influencer typically uploads a dozen posts per week, including family snaps from her parents’ estate and sponsored content, but has remained noticeably silent since the allegations about her ex-husband surfaced.
Phoebe, who still goes by ‘Mrsphoebeburgess’ on Instagram despite her divorce from the Rabbitohs great, could potentially be losing money by failing to post.
As an ambassador for several beauty and lifestyle brands, Phoebe is paid handsomely by these companies to post a steady stream of content.
Arrest: On Monday, Sam Burgess’ white BMW X5 was pulled over at 1.30pm by police at Braemar, in the Southern Highlands, near Phoebe’s family estate. Police will allege Burgess returned a positive roadside drug test for cocaine, was driving an unregistered car, and has never held a New South Wales driver’s licence
Following: Phoebe, who still goes by the name ‘Mrsphoebeburgess’ on Instagram, has racked up over 80k followers on her account
Her last post was on Tuesday, when she shared a string of photos of her children attending a friend’s birthday party.
Meanwhile, Sam was met with a barrage of criticism on social media following Monday’s incident, and subsequently locked his comments section on Instagram in an attempt to stop the trolling.
The incident is the latest controversy for Sam, who just three weeks ago was found guilty of intimidating his former father-in-law, Mitchell Hooke, outside the Hooke family home.
When the retired footballer was pulled over on Monday, he was unaware the registration for his BMW had been suspended after he failed to pay parking and traffic fines, a source told Daily Mail Australia.
Avid: Phoebe often shares a huge amount of Instagram stories documenting her entire day with her children – but hasn’t done so in days
Ads: Phoebe avidly shares sponsored and paid for content by brands, so may potentially be losing money by staying silent
Negativity: Meanwhile, Sam was met with a barrage of criticism on social media following the incident, and subsequently locked his comments section on his photos in an attempt to stop troll comments
Burgess is believed to have celebrated his older brother Luke’s 34th birthday at Coogee’s new beachside restaurant Marrah on Saturday night, before enjoying a round of golf early on Sunday morning – teeing off just before 7am.
The children were originally to be dropped off at Burgess’s shared rental property 15 minutes outside Bowral on Monday morning.
When Burgess could not meet that arrangement because other tenants were using the premises a new plan was made for the children to be collected from Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens at 2pm.
It’s understood Burgess usually prefers to pick up and drop off his children in a private location rather than somewhere public like the Botanic Gardens.
Marriage: Sam Burgess married Phoebe Hooke at her family home just outside Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands in December 2015. The couple had two children and split in late 2019
The source told Daily Mail Australia that Burgess’s registration had been suspended due to $1,200 in parking and traffic fines, which he paid on the spot.
He did not have a NSW driver’s licence because he had been using his international permit, the source claimed.
The results of the drug test, and a subsequent oral fluid test, have been sent away for further analysis.
Burgess is expected to appear in Moss Vale Local court on May 4, facing charges of ‘drive vehicle, resident more than three months – not obtain a licence’ and ‘use unregistered vehicle’, NSW Police said on Monday.
Sam married Phoebe at her parents’ home in December 2015.
The couple separated in late 2018 before rekindling their relationship by April 2019. They split permanently on October 2 that year and have since divorced.
Over: The couple split permanently on October 2 that year and have since divorced
