Inside Carrie's heartbreak: How she found surprise love with Chris Walker only for the pair to split

Carrie Bickmore’s announcement on Wednesday she had split from her partner of 11 years, Chris Walker, is far from her first experience of heartbreak.

Two years before she started dating Walker, she lost her husband Greg Lange, the father of her eldest child Ollie, to brain cancer in 2010.

Bickmore and Walker met as colleagues on The Project – she was a presenter and he was a producer – and they began seeing each other in late 2012.

Carrie Bickmore’s announcement on Wednesday she had split from her partner of 11 years, Chris Walker, is far from her first experience of heartbreak

Despite his terminal diagnosis, Bickmore had married Lange in 2005 when she was just 25 years old, and together they welcomed their son.

After Lange died at age 35, a widowed Bickmore started the charity Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer in his memory.

Two years later and she had found love again with Walker, who became a stepdad to her son Oliver, and with whom she later had two daughters: Evie, born in 2015, and Adelaide, born in 2018.

Bickmore previously said Walker had also suffered loss in his life, which helped the bond in the early days of their relationship.

‘He, like many people, understands loss and suffered his own loss in life and I think he just has a huge amount of compassion and he will always be incredibly supportive of me and for our family,’ she told TV Week magazine.

Bickmore and Walker met as colleagues on The Project – she was a presenter and he was a producer – and they began dating in late 2012, two years after she lost her husband Greg Lange, the father of her eldest child Ollie, to brain cancer

After Lange (right) died at age 35, a widowed Bickmore started the charity Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer in his memory

In April last year, Bickmore and Walker moved to the UK with their children for a school term.

In an Instagram post at the time, she explained they realised during the Melbourne lockdowns they needed to take a proper break.

‘We feel like this is our last chance to do something like this together before Ollie hits the pointy end of his schooling and no longer wants to hang out with us so … we are heading to the UK for a school term,’ she wrote.

Walker previously told the Herald Sun he would find himself ‘missing’ his partner because of the couple’s busy schedules.

‘Carrie works so much as well [on The Project]. Particularly at the start of the week I find myself missing her and the kids quite a lot,’ he said.

Two years after her husband’s death, Bickmore found love again with Walker, who became a stepdad to her son Oliver, and with whom she later had two daughters: Evie, born in 2015, and Adelaide, born in 2018 (all pictured)

Bickmore announced on Wednesday morning she and Walker had parted ways. 

The TV and radio host said in a statement on Instagram the pair was now focusing on co-parenting their three children, Ollie, 15, Evie, seven, and Adelaide, four. 

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‘While this is a tough time, our focus is on parenting, loving and supporting our three children Ollie, Evie and Addie with everything that we’ve got,’ she wrote. 

‘They are doing great, We won’t be making any further comment.’

Bickmore announced on Wednesday morning she and Walker had parted ways. The TV and radio host said in a statement on Instagram the pair was now focusing on co-parenting their three children, Ollie, 15, Evie, seven, and Adelaide, four 

While the news came as a shock to fans, Bickmore – who just weeks ago was pictured with her children at the beach in Byron Bay – had hinted at her private struggles in a farewell letter to The Project’s hair and makeup team after quitting the show in November.

In a hand-written note to her glam squad, the mother of three thanked them for helping her get through some of the most challenging times in her life.

‘To my hair and makeup family. Crap, I am crying already,’ the letter began.

While the split came as a shock to fans, Bickmore had hinted at her private struggles in this farewell letter to The Project’s hair and makeup team after quitting the show in November 

‘You have held my hand through some of the toughest days in my career. You hear it all, see it all and share it all with me and I can’t explain how much I am going to miss you all.’

‘There is an unspoken bond between us all and please never forget how special you all are,’ she added.

‘I know this is not goodbye, just goodbye for now. Love to you all, Carrie.’

Bickmore is pictured with the hair and makeup staff on her final night on The Project 

The Project bid farewell to Bickmore on November 30, as she stepped down from the Channel 10 panel show after an impressive 13 years.

She thanked her friends, colleagues and viewers at the end of the broadcast, as well as Walker, who was sitting in the studio audience with their children.

‘Is it too late to change my mind?’ she said, fighting back tears.

‘To Chris. Thank you for everything. Your guidance and advice over the years, your amazing production skills…’ she added.

‘This show has given us so much. We wouldn’t have our beautiful little prophets if it wasn’t for The Project.’ 

The Project bid farewell to Carrie on November 30, as she stepped down from the Channel 10 panel show after an impressive 13 years

She thanked her friends, colleagues and viewers at the end of the broadcast, as well as Walker, who was sitting in the studio audience with their children (pictured)