EXCLUSIVE: Kate Ritchie’s ‘mystery man’ is revealed to be security consultant John Bell… after they were spotted holding hands in Byron Bay
Kate Ritchie has been keeping a low profile since splitting from husband Stuart Webb after 10 years of marriage.
And almost a year after the former couple were last spotted together, Kate appears to have moved on with a younger boyfriend.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal Kate is spending time with businessman John Bell, who runs his own security company.
EXCLUSIVE: Kate Ritchie’s new toyboy has been identified as John Bell (right), a Victoria-based security consultant days after they were spotted enjoying a romantic getaway on Byron Bay
Photos published in Monday’s New Idea show the former Home and Away star getting cosy with John while on holiday in Byron Bay.
John, who is said to be a few years younger than mother-of-one Kate, has several eye-catching tattoos, including the words ‘Italian Pride’ on his forearm.
John started security solutions business VIREOSS in September 2019. He runs the company from the small town of Seymour, an hour and a half from Melbourne.
Inked up: John, who is said to be a few years younger than mother-of-one Kate, has several eye-catching tattoos, including the words ‘Italian Pride’ on his forearm
He means business: John is understood to have started his security solutions company in September 2019, located in the small historic railway town of Seymour, Victoria
John made all his social media accounts private after New Idea published the photos of him holding hands with Kate.
But from what is publicly available, he seems to have a passion for travel, having visited Paris among other destinations.
He is also a fan of horse racing, with his liked pages including Racing Victoria, Flemington Racecourse, and Country Racing Victoria.
Traveller: John has passion for travel and has shared selfies of him sitting on plane before posing in front of the The Eiffel Tower, in Paris
Kate and John reportedly stayed at an Airbnb and spent most of their time on holiday relaxing by their private mineral salt pool and visiting Byron Bay’s top restaurants.
The sighting comes after Kate parted ways with her husband, retired rugby league player Stuart Webb, after 10 years of marriage.
While it’s unclear when exactly Kate and Stuart split, she hasn’t worn her wedding ring in a year and moved out of their marital home in Sydney’s Randwick in late 2019.
Parting ways: While it’s unclear when exactly Kate and Stuart split, she hasn’t worn her wedding ring in a year and moved out of their marital home in Sydney’s Randwick in late 2019. Pictured on September 15, 2011, in Sydney
Kate moved out after police took out an interim AVO on her behalf against the former NRL star following an incident at the property.
In December 2019, Stuart’s five-time drink driving history was revealed in a police fact sheet as he faced court for blowing 0.083 when he was pulled over by highway patrolmen in the city’s east in March of that year.
The former couple were last spotted together in February 2020, when they celebrated their six-year-old daughter Mae’s first day of school.
Co-parents: The exes were last spotted together in February 2020, when they celebrated their six-year-old daughter Mae’s first day of school. Pictured on January 11, 2019, in Sydney