Welcome to The Group Chat with Lucy Manly, where Australia’s most trusted society insider shares the hottest gossip BEFORE it makes the news.
End of an era
Sydney’s dating pool has taken another hit.
I’m told publicist Andy El-Bayeh – long billed as one of the city’s most eligible bachelors – is engaged, confirming that his relationship with designer and podcaster Raquelle Saba, first revealed in this column, is far more than a casual fling.
Spies recently clocked a sparkler on her left hand, which has set tongues wagging.
The pair, first spotted together earlier this year, have moved quickly but quietly. After being photographed sharing a very public kiss in Dubai, sources now say the engagement happened days before Christmas, with the couple choosing to keep details tightly under wraps.
Friends describe the decision as ‘unsurprising’, given Saba’s increasing presence at key moments in El-Bayeh’s life, including his birthday celebrations back in March.
Andy El-Bayeh – long billed as one of the city’s most eligible bachelors – is engaged
The couple are seen looking glamorous in a cream suit and rust dress respectively
Harriet and Andy had long been a fixture on Sydney’s social scene before their sudden split
Andy and Harriet tied the knot in a lavish Southern Highlands wedding in 2022, shocking high society when they split just a short time later
While neither has made a public announcement, congratulations have already begun circulating within Sydney’s fashion and creative circles.
The engagement comes 16-months after El-Bayeh’s high-profile split from kinesiologist Harriet Williams, following their lavish 2022 Southern Highlands wedding – a union many insiders thought would go the distance.
In an unfortunate twist of timing, Vogue Australia ran a feature on the former couple’s Bondi marital home the very day news broke that the ‘it’ couple had split.
As for what’s next, those in the know say the couple are weighing up where to base themselves as El-Bayeh continues to expand his agency Example internationally.
One thing is clear: the era of Andy El-Bayeh as Sydney’s most eligible bachelor is officially over. Sorry, ladies.
Andy did not respond when contacted for comment.
Steel-ing hearts
Socialite Emma Steel’s love life is once again the talk of the eastern suburbs – and, according to sources, she hasn’t strayed far from her well-established preferences.
Spies tell me the former model is dating what one insider bluntly described as a ‘cashed-up old bloke’, proof that Steel’s romantic criteria remains refreshingly consistent.
As one friend put it, she doesn’t discriminate: ‘young or old, ugly or otherwise – but always rich.’
The new romance follows her relationship with Lamborghini-driving medico Dr Alireza Fallahi, which began shortly after a magistrate found Steel had wrongly accused her neurosurgeon ex-husband, Dr Tim Steel, of assault.
That ruling came after the former couple were embroiled in a highly publicised court case that captivated Sydney society pages.
Emma Steel had wrongly accused her neurosurgeon ex-husband, Dr Tim Steel, of assault. The former couple are pictured together
Carla Farah, Emma Steel (centre) and Stephanie Conly-Buhre at The Sydney Children’s Hospital Silver Committee in 2014
Ms Steel had accused the father of her two daughters of assault following a Christmas party in 2019, as well as claiming he was stingy with money – despite receiving a reported $24,000 monthly allowance.
The charges, which included assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and property damage, were ultimately dismissed after magistrate Vivien Swain cited inconsistencies in Steel’s evidence.
Dr Steel, who was said to own a $23 million property portfolio at the time, denied the allegations and detailed how a work Christmas party ended with police attending their Bellevue Hill home the following morning.
Now, with a new man in her life and another wealthy figure by her side, it seems Emma Steel is firmly back to business as usual – and Sydney’s gossip circuit is watching closely to see how long her latest chapter lasts.
