Australian actress and pop singer Holly Valance made headlines when she was spotted sharing a kiss with her former bodyguard, following her separation from her billionaire spouse, Nick Candy.

Valance, now 42, parted ways with Candy, who is 52, last June after a 13-year marriage. Just last week, she was seen holding hands with Grant Gale, a former soldier.

Gale, aged 34, previously served as a bodyguard for Candy’s family.

In a rare and heartfelt message, Holly’s stepmother, Kim—who is married to her father, Ryko Valance—seemed to offer support to the actress, expressing a desire to “hug her” amidst the ongoing situation.

“For those who know me, it’s uncommon for me to speak publicly about my family,” she shared in an extensive social media post. “But honestly, I long for the day when the real story is finally told, if that day ever comes.”

Reflecting on a recent visit to London, she added, “My heart shattered seeing my stepdaughter endure such emotional distress.”

‘I’ve known this incredible soul since she was 9-years-old. I’ve watched her evolve through the years into a woman, a faithful and incredible wife, a devoted and adoring mother, a thoughtful and kind big sister.’

Valance was seen on two separate occasions with ex-military man Gale, from South Wales, who previously worked at the sprawling Chelsea mansion she shared with property tycoon Candy. 

Holly Valance has been spotted with her former bodyguard Grant Gale in London 

Valance, 42, separated from her billionaire husband , Nick Candy, 52, last June 

In a rare emotional message her stepmother Kim, who is married to Holly’s father Ryko Valance, revealed the toll recent events have taken on the star

The pair were seen strolling through a park before sitting down for a chat on a bench, where Gale rested his arm around the mother-of-two before draping his jacket over her shoulders.

Valance first met Candy in 2009 before he proposed two years later. They married in 2012 in a $5 million California ceremony in front of 300 guests, including Simon Cowell.

Valance, who shot to fame in the late Nineties as Flick Scully on Neigbours, has  attracted attention over the past year after entering a dramatically different phase of her life.

Since the separation, she has undergone a public reinvention, stepping away from her entertainment career and re-emerging as a vocal political figure.

Valance has thrown her support behind Reform UK and aligned herself with a number of right-wing commentators, drawing both support and backlash for her views.

She has previously said she left Australia because it had ‘gone big on woke stuff’.

Meanwhile, her former husband has also made headlines following their split.

Candy recently secured one of the largest property deals in history, selling the couple’s Chelsea mansion for $518 million.

Kim (far left) has been stepmother to Holly Valance (second right) since she was nine

Gale is a former soldier who was employed to look after Holly 

Nick Candy recently secured one of the largest property deals in history, selling the couple’s Chelsea mansion for more than $500m

The mansion had been the centrepiece of the couple’s life together during their marriage, making its sale a symbolic end to their relationship.

Despite the divorce, both Valance and Candy have remained linked through business interests tied to the property, although it is unclear how the proceeds of the sale have been divided.

Candy has also reportedly moved on in his private life. Since September, he has been dating a 33-year-old Swedish socialite named Camilla.