Anthony Albanese almost quit politics forever to try to save his marriage – but his wife still decided to walk away

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed that four years ago he vowed to give up politics forever in order to keep his marriage to ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt alive.

She dumped him on New Year’s Day 2019 after 30 years together, including 19 years of marriage, despite his offer to leave parliament if it saved their relationship.

And he told Neil Mitchell’s Neil Asks Why podcast, “I wasn’t in great shape, that’s the truth, for a little while after that.”

“Carmel had made a decision leading up to that moment that she wanted to take a different direction in her life. That came as an incredible shock to me.’

He has previously admitted that his wife’s divorce filing completely blindsided him and told Mitchell that he was willing to do anything to keep their love alive.

“I suggested that if it was political, I was certainly more than willing not to run in the 2019 election,” he revealed.

‘She said it wasn’t. It was just the way it was. She had made that decision. And it took me some time to accept it.’

Carmel Tebbutt was NSW’s first female Deputy Prime Minister between 2008 and 2011, under Nathan Rees and Kristina Keneally, before leaving politics herself in 2015

He added, “The person I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with had made another phone call.”

Ms Tebbutt, 59, and Mr Albanese, 60, first met as Young Labor activists in the 1980s before dating for over a decade and marrying in 2000.

She was NSW’s first female Deputy Prime Minister between 2008 and 2011, under Nathan Rees and Kristina Keneally, before leaving politics herself in 2015.

And after their son Nathan finished his HSC exams and turned 18, she decided to end her marriage and divorce her husband.

Mr Albanese was a shadow minister under Bill Shorten at the time and he admitted that he struggled with his future in politics after the love split.

“It popped my head in to try and understand because we hadn’t had a fight, no one else was involved,” he said.

‘I just had to accept it. Once I did, I was much better off.

“I had to come to terms with it, not try to understand the decision the person I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with made a different decision, but just accept it.”

He said a trip to London, Portugal and Lisbon after the split allowed him to clear his mind and return to politics.

“I decided I was going to run,” he admitted. “I thought that would be my last term – I would serve one term as minister in the Shorten government.

“At the time, we were expected to win, and I thought it would be… but after the marriage broke up, I was about to leave.

“Very close, very close and finally, and after thinking hard when we lost the election, I was ready to go.”

Anthony Albenese has finally found love again with new girlfriend Jodie Hayden, 16 years his junior, after they met at an NRL event in Melbourne in 2020 before later dating over a beer

In the wake of the coalition’s surprise victory in 2019, which saw Scott Morrison elected Prime Minister and Bill Shorten step down, Mr Albanian became Leader of the Opposition.

He also finally found love again with new girlfriend Jodie Hayden, 16 years his junior, after they met at an NRL event in Melbourne in 2020 before later dating over a beer.

She is now a constant by his side, regularly flying abroad on official assignments since he became prime minister following Labor’s 2022 election victory.

The prime minister has declined to discuss possible marriage plans, but he told Kyle Sandilands in April: “She is certainly a very dear partner. And we have a great relationship.

“I must say I consider myself incredibly lucky to have found Jodie.”