Surfing champion Layne Beachley and her rock star husband Kirk Pengilly of INXS fame reveal how the pandemic has brought them even closer – as they celebrate 10 years of marriage
Their careers would often see them travelling the world and spending periods of time apart, prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
And as they celebrate 10 years of marriage this weekend, surfing champion Layne Beachley and INXS rock star Kirk Pengilly, revealed to The Sunday Telegraph’s Stellar magazine how lockdown brought them closer.
‘When it was truly lockdown, we were sitting down and eating at home all the time… and we’ve become more social with each other,’ Kirk, 62, said.
Closer than ever: Surfing champion Layne Beachley and her rock star husband Kirk Pengilly of INXS fame (both pictured), revealed how the pandemic has brought them even closer, in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph’s Stellar magazine this weekend
While acknowledging how the pandemic has had a devastating impact on the lives of many, Layne did say that she’s been able to see the silver lining.
‘COVID has been a s**t time for a lot of people, but it’s been an absolute blessing for me – and allowed me to reset,’ the 48-year-old explained.
‘Before March we were all gung-ho and we never really considered stopping to reflect on the quality of our lives, the nature of our relationships, and the quality of our health and wellbeing.’
Quality time together: ‘When it was truly lockdown, we were sitting down and eating at home all the time… and we’ve become more social with each other,’ Kirk, 62, said
Layne and Kirk are celebrating 10 years of marriage this weekend with a trip to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
However, they previously revealed that it was not love at first sight, but rather, a very awkward first date.
They met in Sydney’s Dee Why on the Northern Beaches after promising mutual friend Jon Stevens they would go on a date.
‘Jon made me promise that I would take Kirk on a date. And I had no interest in it whatsoever. And Kirk had no interest in me. And when I took him on a date I took him to Dee Why RSL ten pin bowling,’ Layne revealed on Seven’s The Daily Edition.
‘It’s allowed me to reset’: While acknowledging how the pandemic has had a devastating impact on the lives of many, Layne, 48, did say that she’s been able to see the silver lining
Romantic getaway: Layne and Kirk are celebrating 10 years of marriage this weekend with a trip to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales
‘And then I took him to a restaurant at Dee Why beachfront, and we were literally yawning at each other’s faces. There was no chemistry, no connection – we really didn’t want to be there.’
After both contemplating a swift exit, things took a turn for the better, when the restaurant owner joined them at their table.
‘He had a fresh bottle of Limoncello that his grandmother made, and the rest is history … to the point where we actually toasted with Limoncello at our wedding 10 years later,’ Layne said.
Read more: Layne and Kirk’s full interview is featured in this weekend’s Stellar magazine