Rebecca Gibney was heartbroken after being cheated on. Years later, she met a 'beautiful, tall New Zealander'.

In case you missed it, New Zealand-born actress Rebecca Gibney was recently inducted into the TV WEEK Logie Awards Hall of Fame at the 2024 Logies.

A much-loved face of Australian TV, thanks to her roles in popular shows such as The Flying Doctors, Halifax f.p., Packed to the Rafters, Winter, and Wanted, this makes Gibney only one of just four women to be honoured since the award was established in 1984. 

Which is... huge.

In a heartwarming speech, her son Zachary Edison Bell presented the award — and there wasn't a dry eye in sight.

Watch: Andrew Denton sits down with Rebecca Gibney on Interview. Post continues below.

During her acceptance speech at the TV Week Logies Hall of Fame, Rebecca also thanked her husband for his unwavering support, stating, "Thank you for always asking the question every time a job comes up, 'Will it make you happy? Will it bring you joy?'"

Here, we take a look at the woman behind the scenes and find out everything about Rebecca Gibney's family life — including her relationship with husband Richard Bell. Let's dive in. 

Who is Rebecca Gibney's husband?

Rebecca Gibney is married to Richard Bell, a production designer. The couple has been together for over twenty years, having married in 2001. They share one son, Zachary, who is 20 years old.

The Packed to the Rafters star told New Zealand Now to Love in 2023 that the couple hadn't always planned to have children.

"When I met Richard, we were both in our 30s and we actually said in the beginning that we weren't going to have children because we were very content with each other," she said.

"We had dogs, we moved to Tasmania and were just very happy living on our little farm. He's my best friend.

"So, when Zac came along, it was great. It was awesome and we've had this amazing time with him."

In 2021, they celebrated 20 years of marriage, with Gibney sharing a rare post about her husband on Instagram.

Alongside romantic photos of their wedding day, she wrote "20 years ago today this happened." 

"What a magical wonderful day it was. I am the luckiest because you big R are all the things. Happy Anniversary my love."

How did Rebecca Gibney and Richard Bell meet?

One of Gibney's best-known roles was that of Dr Jane Halifax in the long-running TV series Halifax f.p.. During her Logies Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Gibney revealed for the first time that it was actually how she met her second husband.

"The man I met on the set of Halifax, he was a production designer at the time, Richard Bell," she said.

In a 2017 Sydney Morning Herald article, she revealed "I met [Bell] when I was 35."

Image: Instagram/@rebeccagibney_

Gibney has often expressed her deep affection for Bell, describing him on Instagram as her "best friend" and "rock." 

In the same Sydney Morning Herald interview, she noted, "You must respect each other... it's having complete and utter respect above all else and obviously love and being willing to compromise."

"I had dealt with my past and in walks this beautiful, tall New Zealander who happened to live on the same street as me when I was five," she said.

"We met in 1999, got together in 2000 and married in 2001 and have been happy ever since."

Was Rebecca Gibney married to Jack Jones?

Rebecca Gibney was previously married to Jack Jones (whose real name is Irwin Thomas), the former lead singer of the Australian rock band Southern Sons, from 1992 to 1995.

They divorced after three years, with Gibney going on to marry her current husband, production designer Richard Bell, five years later.

Did Rebecca Gibney date Richard Wilkins?

Rebecca Gibney and Richard Wilkins dated in the late 1980s. Gibney, then 22, described their relationship as a significant fling that ended in heartbreak when she discovered that Wilkins was cheating on her with a flight attendant.

This affair reportedly began while Gibney was living in Melbourne and Wilkins was in Sydney. 

On Nova's Fitzy & Wippa show, she recounted a poignant moment when she gave Wilkins a rose, which he later re-gifted to the flight attendant, which led to their split.

"I was madly in love with him and I thought I had a future with him," Gibney said.

"We were together and I was living in Melbourne and he was in Sydney and we had been together a while. I gave him a rose and he took it on the plane and I said, 'I'll see you soon sweetheart'.

"He gave the rose to the flight attendant who he was having a fling with who, I might add, he ended up marrying."

Despite the painful ending, Gibney has expressed that she holds no hard feelings towards Wilkins today, acknowledging that he has a good heart.  

Who is Rebecca Gibney's son?

Rebecca Gibney's son is Zachary Edison Bell commonly referred to as 'Zac'. He was born on April 7, 2004, and is currently pursuing a career in acting. Zachary is studying at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School in Wellington, New Zealand, where he is following in his mother's footsteps in the entertainment industry.

Recently, Zachary made headlines for delivering an emotional tribute to his mother during her induction into the Logies Hall of Fame at the 2024 TV WEEK Logie Awards. In his speech, he expressed pride in his mother and highlighted her character and dedication as both an actress and a parent.

He gave a heartfelt speech to his mother that left the audience (and viewers at home) in an emotional wreck.

Image: Instagram/@TVWeek

"I do know her name means a lot to other people," Zachary said. "To some, she's an amazing actor. To others, a great friend, a co-worker, a daughter, a sister and a wife. A hardworking, honest, kind and caring soul. I feel so lucky to have been raised by someone with so much love to give and be guided through life watching her show so much kindness to everyone that she meets.

"So many people love Rebecca Gibney, the actor. I will always love her as the kindest, most loving mum anyone could ask for."

Why does Rebecca Gibney live in Dunedin?

In 2017, the family moved from Australia to New Zealand temporarily while Gibney starred in and executive produced the comedy-drama series Under the Vines, which films in Central Otago. 

In an interview, Gibney said she enjoyed the privacy and laid-back lifestyle in the South Island, saying "I go down to the supermarket and no one pays attention to me at all."

However, after her son moved to Wellington in 2022 to attend drama school, Gibney considered moving closer to him but ultimately decided against it at the time. Now, a few years later, she has decided to leave her "beautiful beachside home" in Dunedin to "head north" and be nearer to Zachary, who is now studying in Sydney.

Feature image: Getty

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