Carrie Bickmore and Chris Walker split comes months after naked Skype scandal

Carrie Bickmore and her partner of 10 years, Chris Walker, have announced their separation today, months after Walker was embroiled in a nude Skype scandal.

In May last year, the TV producer narrowly avoided disciplinary action from the ABC after accidentally revealing himself to his co-workers. Former Project host Bickmore remained tight-lipped over the incident as it gripped headlines, though some speculated it may have put strain on their relationship.

Fast-forward eight months from Walker’s nude gaffe, and the couple have confirmed their split in joint statements shared on social media this morning. The couple share two daughters, Evie and Adelaide, and a son, Oliver, who Carrie welcomed with her late husband, Greg Lange.

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“Hi there. It’s with immense sadness that (Carrie) and I have decided to separate,” the pair wrote today.

“While this is a tough time, our focus is to concentrate on parenting, loving and supporting our three amazing children, Ollie, Evie and Addie with everything we’ve got. They are doing great.

“We won’t be making any further comment at this stage.”

Last year, Walker, the executive producer of comedy show The Weekly, starring Charlie Pickering, had stripped naked in front of stunned colleagues as he readied for a shower, thinking he’d left a video conference on May 17.

Up to nine staff members witnessed the gaffe, which reportedly saw Walker completely naked for between 40 seconds and two minutes.

The workers were offered “counselling” to cope with the shock, but it has now been revealed Walker is “unlikely to face serious sanctions,” The Australian reported.

In a statement, the ABC described Walker’s stripshow as “unintentional”.

“The ABC is aware of an unintentional incident which occurred involving the production team for The Weekly,” it said in a statement.

“The ABC is in regular communication with the relevant team members and are in the process of developing strategies to ensure an incident of this nature does not occur again.”

In a follow up report, a source quoted in the Herald Sun claimed that as Walker stripped off his pyjamas in the bathroom in preparation for a shower, ABC control room workers were flashed close-up images of his genitalia.

An anonymous employee told the publication they felt the situation had been dealt with lightly due to Walker’s production company, Thinkative Television, being a key client of the ABC.

They asserted it was a clear instance of “double standards” within the public broadcaster.

“You’re not allowed plastic bottles in the building but the nude guy is on the screen but that’s hilarious,” they said.

“If it was an ABC person [instead of someone from an external production company] they would never be allowed to set foot in the place again.

“The reason we are all concerned about it is [because] the ABC are moral preachers.”

Speaking to The Australian, however, another TV insider said: “It was a genuine mistake. Obviously, the ABC is taking it seriously if people were traumatised.

“But if serious action was taken against Chris Walker for an accidental flash, there’d also be an outcry.”

It was not the first time Walker had accidentally exposed himself on a call.

Bickmore explained on her Carrie & Tommy radio show in November 2021 that her partner had walked in “with his bits out” while she was conducting an interview on Zoom, while other journalists around the world were watching.

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“Full-frame in the corner [of the screen] was Chris with his meat and veg, just standing there for the entire world’s press to see,” Bickmore said.

Bickmore and Walker’s split announcement comes as a shock, given the couple moved to the UK for several months with their children, Oliver, Evie and Adelaide last April.

Shortly after returning, Bickmore announced her resignation from The Project in October.

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