Man about town Ricardo Simich brings you Society Insider. This week, former All Black Stephen Donald is getting divorced; Anna Mowbray’s personal connection to Breast Cancer Cure’s latest campaign; newsreader Jenna Lynch is expecting her second child.
Society Insider: Stephen Donald’s marriage split; Anna Mowbray’s family cancer journey; Lorraine Downes models at 60
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Lorraine Downes has signed with a new modelling agency; Anna Mowbray is backing a breast cancer fundraising campaign; Stephen Donald and wife Alex are divorcing; Jenna Lynch is expecting baby number two. Photo / Herald composite
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Their wedding and engagement made national headlines.
In 2017, Donald proposed while fishing off the coast of Waiuku, south of Auckland. The following January, the pair married at the glamorous Coromandel beach resort Matarangi.
“It’s been two years [since we separated], it hasn’t been easy, we have three children and they are my priority,” Donald tells Society Insider.
Alex says she enjoyed her years with Donald.
“We may have grown apart but we will always come together for our children.”
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Alex, 34, was dating Donald, 41, (who is commonly known by his nickname Beaver) before he went from zero to hero through the eyes of his Kiwi rugby fans during the final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup at Eden Park in Auckland.
He successfully kicked a penalty that kept New Zealand ahead of France and was enough to win the match and tournament.
The couple’s relationship became long-distance when Donald played professionally on the international circuit for the next several years in Britain and Japan, while Alex, a registered nurse and an equestrian, forged her career path in New Zealand.
In 2014, actor David de Lautour starred as Donald in the movie The Kick, about the highs and lows of his All Black career.
The same year Donald proposed to Alex, he released his biography Beaver.
The couple, who now live separately in Waiuku, welcomed their first of three children in 2019 and have a girl and two boys.
Alex runs Embrace Cosmetics, a boutique clinic in Glenbrook that offers treatments including Botox and dermal fillers.
Donald finished his rugby playing career in early 2020 and has successfully transitioned into a media career that has involved him working on several shows with Sky Sport.
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In recent years, he has worked with former All Black Israel Dagg on Clubhouse Rescue and an offbeat travel show Izzy and Beaver’s French Connection, which involved the pair travelling to 16 destinations across France before the Rugby World Cup started in 2023.
Donald also commentates on Super Rugby, has a daily afternoon radio show with broadcaster Guy Heveldt called Beaver & Guy on Sport Nation and a weekly podcast with broadcaster Kirstie Stanaway called Aftermatch.
Three years ago, Society Insider reported Donald was teaming up with All Blacks Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown to enter the RTD market with the launch of Grins.
Anna Mowbray honours her Nana with breast cancer campaign
With a family history of breast cancer, Rich Lister Anna Mowbray wants to live a life well into her 70s.
The business powerhouse is talking about her family’s breast cancer journey for the first time as she and her mother Linda have modelled for the Breast Cancer Cure’s Tees for a Cure campaign.
Mowbray, founder of recruitment company Zeil and co-founder of Auckland FC, tells Society Insider exclusively that in 1990, when she was 7, she lost her fraternal grandmother Margaret Beatrice Mowbray, known as Betty, to breast cancer at age 69. Her great-grandmother Edith Wyllie died of breast cancer at the same age.
“As her granddaughter, I feel like I was robbed of someone who would have been so formative in me becoming an even better leader and person today,” says Mowbray.
“Nana Betty began showing symptoms three years before she was diagnosed; a physical examination didn’t cause enough concern at the time for her to progress in the system.
“This was disastrous, as by the time her status was understood, the cancer had spread to her bones, making it too late to stop its progression.”
READ MORE: Breast Cancer Cure’s new Tees for a Cure campaign sets ambitious goal
Mowbray is thankful we have more advanced diagnostic tools and treatment options as she is considered high risk.
She explains her great-grandmother’s treatment, which was standard at the time, involved administering high doses of male hormones followed by female hormones.
Mowbray is pleased screening is also more accessible to the general public and that there’s greater awareness and education about the illness.
“While treatments can still be quite invasive, there are now less aggressive options available that are gentler on the body,” she says.
Mowbray says having breast cancer in her family has made her more vigilant with screening.
“I’d much rather know early and be able to put measures in place to prevent the disease being able to spread further.
“I want to lead life well into my 70s, and that includes cracking that 69 mark, and I will be educating my daughters on the same.
“When they’re at the right age, I’ll pass that knowledge down to them.”
Mowbray is a chip off her grandmother’s block. At the time of her death, Margaret Mowbray, a Queen’s Service Medal recipient, was the Mayoress of Hamilton and had served on the Hamilton City Council for 16 years.
“She was a trailblazer and an incredibly dynamic woman, with a smile, generosity and aura about her that people gravitated to.
“She was so inspiring, and it was awful that she was taken so young when she still had so much to give.”
Nana Betty was also the president of the Plunket Society and helped with hospice fundraising. She brought the Playbox Cinema to Hamilton and played a huge part in bringing the Hamilton Gardens to life, as well as being instrumental in persuading the council to turn Hamilton Zoo into a public zoo.
For their photoshoot for the breast cancer campaign, Mowbray and her mother went to a special place for the family: the Hamilton Gardens. The gardens display a commemorative bench to Margaret.
“The first thing Mum and I did when we got there was to sit on her chair in the Camelia Garden to pay her a little tribute and reflect on everything that she’s built.
“The gardens pay homage to a range of different cultures, which is something Nana Betty was a huge champion of.
“Nana was a connector of communities and her own family, it formed the building blocks of the incredible extended family unit that we still have today.”
For its latest campaign, BCC’s aim is to sell at least 3600 T-shirts – the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer in New Zealand each year.
“To be able to hit that target of 3600 shirts will mean the charity could potentially fund around three new research projects, which brings us one step closer to finding a cure,” says Mowbray.
Mowbray is encouraging as many people as possible to throw their support behind the campaign, to help a great cause and get a special piece of clothing, which she says some of our top designers have poured their creativity and hearts into.
“It will be a colourful reminder of the support that’s available to Kiwis on a cancer journey and the work that’s being done to help them prevent the disease.”
Among the printed tees, sweaters and hoodies created by top designers and modelled by Linda and Anna are some by Coop and Trelise Cooper, where one of Mowbray’s close friends, Julia Leuchars, is a co-designer.
Mowbray says BCC has created a beautiful fusion of fashion and philanthropy.
“They have turned something that many may view as dark or scary into something bright and brings joy to so many.”
To find out more, visit breastcancercure.org.nz/tees-winter-edit
Baby news for Jenna Lynch
ThreeNews political editor Jenna Lynch is expecting baby number two.
It’s been a baby boom for political journalists at ThreeNews and Stuff.
Last October, Tova O’Brien and her partner cameraman Cam Williams welcomed a baby girl, Ivy Edith Williams O’Brien, and the following month Stuff’s senior political reporter Amelia Wade and her partner, industrial designer Jason Hablous, welcomed a baby boy, Walter Wade Hablous.
Lynch was glowing at the farewell of 1News business correspondent Katie Bradford at the Empire pub last Friday evening.
With two media farewells at the Empire – a popular Auckland watering hole for journalists – news came to Society Insider that Lynch is expecting her second child with fiance Andrew Ketels in June.
Ketels is the chief of staff for Act New Zealand. The Wellington-based political power couple have a 2-year-old son, Alfie.
Lynch tells Society Insider that she and Ketels couldn’t be happier that their family is growing and they can’t wait to see their precious Alfie take on the role of big brother.
“Our next little one seems very fond of big gymnastic flips and kicks already – with impeccable timing, usually just before a live cross – so we are preparing for the beautiful chaos of two very active wee ones keeping us on our toes.”
Meanwhile, Bradford has left the state broadcaster after more than a decade for a corporate role with Infrastructure New Zealand.
The other media farewell on Friday was for former senior Herald editorial leader Oskar Alley, who is joining TVNZ as the broadcaster’s new general manager, digital news.
NZME and TVNZ are trading senior leaders – Seven Sharp producer Paul Moor is joining as head of streaming, to bring Herald Now to life.
Lorraine Downes modelling at 60
One of New Zealand’s most enduring public figures, Lorraine Downes, has signed with a top modelling agency at the age of 60.
She tells Society Insider she has just signed with Red 11, which also represents top models Juliette Perkins, Manahou Mackay and Minnie Xu.
“Modelling is something that I have always enjoyed, and my word/intention for 2025 is fun, so I am excited to see what comes into my life with this.”
Taken by stylist and photographer Lisa Matson and celebrated photographer Neil Gussey, Downes’ latest modelling pictures are stunning.
For Matson, Downes wears a classic black jacket and for Gussey she wears a crisp white shirt, a white tank and jeans.
Her ageless beauty is sure to be in demand.
In October, Downes also featured in a catwalk show at Soul Bar and Bistro for Yvonne Bennetti’s spring/summer collection.
“Recently, I decided to start modelling again as there seems to be more older models being used for work, which is great as I have always believed in having all ages represented,” she told her followers.
“I used to love modelling when I was younger so it was so much fun.”
Red 11 owner Mandy Jacobsen tells Society Insider that having Downes on the books is an honour.
“Lorraine is a legend; she is beautiful on the inside and out,” says Jacobsen.
It’s been nearly 42 years since Downes, then 19, made history as New Zealand’s first and only Miss Universe pageant winner in St Louis, Missouri.
In the 1980s, Downes modelled in New Zealand, Australia and Japan and, in 1986, founded her respected agency, Care of Lorraine Models and Talent, which she operated for six years.
Since then, Downes has been an in-demand image consultant and has written two books – REAL, The Truth about Fashion, Beauty and Image, co-authored with Frances Jones in 1997 and Life, Loss, Love in 2018, two years after losing the love of her life to cancer, husband and cricket icon Martin Crowe.
In 2006, Downes once more won hearts across the country when she and dance partner Aaron Gilmore won Dancing with the Stars, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity.
Downes has balanced her career and profile with charity work, raising millions for Child Cancer New Zealand and NZ Breast Cancer Foundation, and, most recently, she joined Mercy Hospice.
Party people of the week
Bistro Saine VIP media launch
Auckland’s newest French-Mediterranean bistro made a dazzling debut last Thursday evening with an exclusive VIP media preview before its official opening last Friday.
Seventy guests were welcomed on the red carpet at Bistro Saine at Hotel Indigo Auckland, with glasses of Billecart-Salmon Le Reserve in hand before stepping inside the warmly lit, elegant space.
The evening featured a specially curated, shared tasting menu by chefs Yutak Son, Stevan Bailey, Zach Duxfield and Aditya Medon. Standout dishes included anchovy en croute, pork croquettes, steak tartare, chicken liver parfait, kingfish crudo and wagyu sirloin. Sweet finishes included pear tarte tatin and choux au craquelin.
The “two Pierres” – restaurant manager Pierre Guillot and sommelier Pierre Bernardeau – ensured wine pairings flowed effortlessly, as host Joey Hickman showed his signature charm as he guided the evening, which carried late into the night.
Among the high-profile guests were rich lister Ecostore CEO, Pablo Kraus and his wife, Denizen Magazine publisher, Claire Sullivan-Kraus; Cuisine magazine owner Kelli Brett; foodie influencer Nicola Chan and Anna King-Shahab of Lazy Susan with her husband Switch Lighting Design & Consultancy director Omar Shahab.
Bistro Saine’s design consultant, James Ingram, flew in from Sydney for the launch, joining Ian Wilson of Title Hospitality and owner Jonty Rzechta, both of whom also came over from Australia to welcome guests.
Bistro Saine is the first of three venues to open at 51 Albert St, soon to be joined by Cafe Etiquette, a cafe and wine bar, and The Henry, a sophisticated cocktail lounge. The launch marked a milestone for Hotel Indigo Auckland, which is now officially open.
Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.
