Television personality and popular Footy Show star Erin Molan has been unwittingly dragged into the centre of the marital meltdown of high-profile celebrity accountant and yachtsman Anthony Bell, amid claims of domestic violence involving his model wife Kelly Landry.
Molan's friends told PS on Wednesday she was well aware of rumours that claim Bell and his wife had argued about his association with Molan. The fight is understood to have become one of the catalysts that led to the AVO matter, which is due to be heard at Waverley Local Court on Thursday.
"It is really unfair, Erin has done nothing wrong," a friend told PS.
A Channel Nine spokeswoman confirmed there had been speculation about Molan's relationship with Bell but denied it was anything more than a professional friendship and Molan remained in a romantic relationship with policeman Sean Ogilvy.
It was only in July last year that Molan gushed over her new boyfriend. With tears in her eyes, Molan said: "I'm getting emotional, it's really embarrassing, but he makes me feel better about myself."
Molan joined the crew of Bell's supermaxi Perpetual Loyal for the second time as it claimed victory in the Sydney to Hobart a month ago.
Bell has advised Molan on her career for years and also renegotiated her lucrative contract with Channel Nine towards the end of last year.
Meanwhile, PS can also confirm that Bell spent time at Russell Crowe's Nana Glen country estate near Coffs Harbour after he left the couple's luxury Watsons Bay family home, and spent several days with the film star. Crowe and Bell share the same publicist/adviser, former tabloid television producer Grant Vandenberg.
Bell's present whereabouts are unclear, although he is no longer living in the family home with Landry.
As for reports about Bell's friendship with fellow celebrity Karl Stefanovic unravelling, PS can reveal the dispute revolved around Stefanovic's manager Sharon Finnigan.
It is understood Finnigan was at loggerheads with Bell, who was widely credited with renegotiating Stefanovic's lucrative deal with Channel Nine last year, estimated to be worth more than $2 million a year and making him one of the highest paid personalities on Australian television.
Stefanovic, co-host of Channel Nine's Today show, opted to side with Finnigan, who has been his manager for many years.
Despite reports on Wednesday claiming Stefanovic and Bell were no longer friends, PS can reveal Stefanovic sent Bell a text message that reads: "I'm only going to say this once more. I'm with you through thick and thin on this. And moving forward I'm with you brother. I f---ing mean it."
When PS approached Stefanovic about the message, he declined to comment any further.