Wedding bells? NRL star Andrew Johns and his partner Kate Kendall spark engagement rumours as she is seen wearing diamond band on her ring finger
Andrew ‘Joey’ Johns and his partner Kate Kendall sparked engagement rumors after she was spotted wearing a diamond ring.
The 50-year-old NRL legend and the famed Sydney yoga instructor were spotted enjoying a romantic lunch together in Bronte on Tuesday.
Kate, who opened up about her eating disorder last week, was spotted wearing a diamond star on her ring finger, sparking speculation that they are quietly engaged.
The couple, who have been together since 2016, looked as in love as ever as they laughed and chatted over lunch outside and enjoyed the sunshine.
Kate looked stylish in a grey knitted cardigan and burgundy trousers, while she shielded her eyes with dark sunglasses.
She wore a gold ring with a sparkling diamond in the center, which could indicate that wedding bells are on the way for the couple.
Andrew kept it casual in a green T-shirt and olive shorts, while a gray hoodie slung over his shoulder as he chatted with Kate over lunch.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Andrew and Kate for comment.
Andrew Johns and his long-term partner Kate Kendall have sparked engagement rumours after she was spotted wearing a diamond ring during a lunch in Bronte on Tuesday
Kate, who opened up about her battle with an eating disorder last week, was seen wearing a diamond star on her ring finger, leading to speculation that they have quietly gotten engaged.
The engagement speculation comes just days after Kate revealed she has struggled with an eating disorder (bulimia) for three decades.
In a candid new interview, she shared how she overcame the condition during the Covid lockdown after a doctor gave her a prescription for medicinal cannabis.
“It softened the whole experience,” she told The Weekend Australian Magazine. “I had tried to [the disorder] ‘I’ve tried it before, with a lot of talk therapy, but I never got any further.’
She said she was determined to overcome the devastating disease so she could be a better role model for her and Andrew’s six-year-old daughter Alice.
“It became really painful for me because she was a few years old at the time and I started to really worry about what I was showing her as a parent,” she said.
Kate said she took the drug for six months as part of a holistic 12-step program led by an eating disorder coach and dietitian.
The regimen involved taking drops of cannabis oil orally every night before dinner to overcome the anxiety she experienced while eating.
“It relaxed my ‘controlling’ behavior and my body felt more at ease and welcoming of food; I was able to say ‘yes’ to the meal rather than panicking, restricting or rejecting food,” she explained.
The couple, who have been dating since 2016, looked as loved up as ever as they laughed and chatted during their outdoor lunch and soaked up the sunshine
She wore a gold band with a sparkling diamond in the center, possibly hinting that a wedding bell is in the offing for the couple.
Since medicinal cannabis was first legalised in Australia in 2016, more than a million prescriptions have been written. And Kate hasn’t ruled out getting another prescription in the future if she needs to.
Andrew, a former NRL legend for Newcastle, NSW and Australia, is also a vocal advocate of the drug, saying it helps him cope with the ongoing physical aches and pains he still suffers from after more than 300 games at the highest level.
It also helped him control the seizures he had been experiencing since being diagnosed with frontal epilepsy in 2016.
“I’ve talked about it openly myself because it’s completely changed my life. I started doing it four or five years ago because I was having seizures, which may have been caused by the concussions,” John said in 2022 on Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour.
‘Since I started using it, I no longer suffer from attacks. I still take the usual medication, but I am now clearer than ever.’
‘As for my body, I don’t take any anti-inflammatories anymore, and I don’t take any painkillers either. Given my personality, I really shouldn’t have any of those in the house.
“For me it’s been a game changer. I surf sometimes three, four hours a day. I wake up and there’s no inflammation. All the inflammation is gone.”
“Obviously, I would be completely distraught after coming home from football. I used to have sleeping pills to help me fall asleep, but I haven’t had a sleeping pill in 18 months.”
The Newcastle Knights legend suffered multiple concussions, a bulging disc and several other serious injuries during his illustrious NRL career, and was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
He previously admitted to long-term drug and alcohol abuse during his sporting career and was arrested in 2007 for possession of ecstasy at a London Underground station.
Andrew began dating Flow Athletic founder Kate in 2015 and they welcomed their daughter Alice in 2018
Johns, also known as Joey, was captain of the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League and has been voted one of the greatest players of all time
However, he told how his life changed after discovering medicinal cannabis, which is said to help footballers with their post-concussion syndrome.
Johns also credits his partner with introducing him to yoga, which he says has kept him focused and improved his mental health.
Andrew started a relationship with famous yoga teacher Kate in 2015 and in 2018 they had their daughter Alice.
He has a 24-year-old son Andrew with his first wife Renae Chapman, and another son, Louis, 14, with his second wife Catherine Mahoney.
Kate runs yoga studio Flow Athletic in Paddington and her celebrity clients include Roxy Jacenko, Willie Mason and George Burgess.
She also teaches yoga online through her website Active Yogi and has a podcast called The Space Between.