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Since becoming ITV's face of racing two years ago, Francesca Cumani's glamour and equine expertise have frequently stolen the show, whether covering the Grand National or Royal Ascot.
But success has taken its toll on her private life: she has, I can disclose, separated from her rugged Australian husband, international polo player Rob Archibald, and is now being comforted by the perkiest of ITV's racing commentary team, Oli Bell.
Francesca, 35-year-old daughter of acclaimed trainer Luca Cumani, married Rob in 2014. Their son was born two years later, soon after which they bought a £1.3 million house in Sydney.
Francesca Cumani separated from her rugged Australian husband, international polo player Rob Archibald +2
Francesca Cumani separated from her rugged Australian husband, international polo player Rob Archibald
Thereafter the couple attempted to juggle their lives on either side of the planet — a challenge which intensified after Francesca was hired by ITV, which meant spending eight months here during the racing season and four months in Australia, where she had been a commentator for Channel 7.
Francesca is now being comforted by the perkiest of ITV's racing commentary team, Oli Bell. +2
Francesca is now being comforted by the perkiest of ITV's racing commentary team, Oli Bell.
But the strain has been too much, as Francesca, who first got to know Australia after transporting one of her father's horses Down Under, explains. 'From the beginning we knew that living between the UK and Australia would be a challenge but we believed we could make it work,' she tells me.
'Sadly we were wrong. The most important thing now is to make sure we look after our son so he isn't affected by what has happened.'
A friend says that, despite the split, relations between the couple are 'perfectly amicable'.
'They've been trying to work at it but were struggling,' I'm told. 'Francesca then confided in Oli and he comforted her and they got together.'
Oli, 31, is an effervescent lad. When, last year, his uncle Michael Bell's horse Big Orange clinched the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot by a short head, Oli raced out of the commentary-box and onto the course.
The following day he met the Queen who mentioned that she had seen a 'lunatic running on to the track'.
Let's hope that Francesca can confine him to her paddock. She is expected to front ITV's coverage of Champions Day at Ascot this Saturday.
Since becoming ITV's face of racing two years ago, Francesca Cumani's glamour and equine expertise have frequently stolen the show, whether covering the Grand National or Royal Ascot.
But success has taken its toll on her private life: she has, I can disclose, separated from her rugged Australian husband, international polo player Rob Archibald, and is now being comforted by the perkiest of ITV's racing commentary team, Oli Bell.
Francesca, 35-year-old daughter of acclaimed trainer Luca Cumani, married Rob in 2014. Their son was born two years later, soon after which they bought a £1.3 million house in Sydney.
Francesca Cumani separated from her rugged Australian husband, international polo player Rob Archibald +2
Francesca Cumani separated from her rugged Australian husband, international polo player Rob Archibald
Thereafter the couple attempted to juggle their lives on either side of the planet — a challenge which intensified after Francesca was hired by ITV, which meant spending eight months here during the racing season and four months in Australia, where she had been a commentator for Channel 7.
Francesca is now being comforted by the perkiest of ITV's racing commentary team, Oli Bell. +2
Francesca is now being comforted by the perkiest of ITV's racing commentary team, Oli Bell.
But the strain has been too much, as Francesca, who first got to know Australia after transporting one of her father's horses Down Under, explains. 'From the beginning we knew that living between the UK and Australia would be a challenge but we believed we could make it work,' she tells me.
'Sadly we were wrong. The most important thing now is to make sure we look after our son so he isn't affected by what has happened.'
A friend says that, despite the split, relations between the couple are 'perfectly amicable'.
'They've been trying to work at it but were struggling,' I'm told. 'Francesca then confided in Oli and he comforted her and they got together.'
Oli, 31, is an effervescent lad. When, last year, his uncle Michael Bell's horse Big Orange clinched the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot by a short head, Oli raced out of the commentary-box and onto the course.
The following day he met the Queen who mentioned that she had seen a 'lunatic running on to the track'.
Let's hope that Francesca can confine him to her paddock. She is expected to front ITV's coverage of Champions Day at Ascot this Saturday.
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Replies: 217
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Lucky Oli. Good luck to them. They will make a nice couple.
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surprise that, had to read it twice all photos on the mail, sly oli lol
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I had to check my calendar when I read this.
Oily? I would have thought that he would have been more likely to be comforting her husband. |
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daily mail are well known for covering for gay celebs.
so expect fran to be shacking up with another hot female racing babe  |
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Racing post members club deserve to know about this first. You feel me ?
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Ed will be gutted.
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"her rugged Australian husband"
The Rugged Man is one who is physically masculine. He bends nature to his will by means of his brute force and has a cave-man attitude that brooks no nonsense.  |
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ffs i really fancied my chances
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The most important thing now is to make sure we look after our son so he isn't affected by what has happened.'
Well at least they do not live too far apart should be a doddle. . . . . |
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I'm totally godsmacked..............
she could have communted from Linköping to Heathrow with ease   |
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Francesca Cumani separated from her rugged Australian husband
why do we need to know about his chest hair? |
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Grow up Oli. This won't last 5 minutes.
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That would be my guess. She already has one child to look after.
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she's started banging one of the itv mob ?
..... quelle surprise |
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i took 17/2 weaver and harvey back in june ... bell was no value
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daughter of trainer & nephew of trainer..both worked in racing in Australia..both tv presenters
theyve got nowt in common...it'll never work |
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Well well,the sharp minds on here certainly got Oli wrong. I wonder if they will be able to keep Chapman stum on the Saturday show,he will no doubt be bursting to drop in a few innuendos at least.
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After being married to a big rugby player she probably wanted a chance to be the 'trousers' in a relationship.
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presume oli gets compassionate leave when she gets totally fed up with him and goes back to her family in oz ...
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fake news surely ...
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yeah MATCH.Com might stick them together Duncan but they are a million to stay together. Francesca will wake up and realise it's bad for her career.
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Oli posts on here under the forum name Virgin
will he rename now? |
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So what if they don't stay together? If they're both having some fun now good luck to them.
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nice for the husband and child ribero. Great ruin someone else's life as long as you have some fun.
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Im sure the husband and his family are delighted to have his humiliation on the Daily Mail ffs.
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replicates when Oli had that Boxing bout
Punching above his weight  |
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. Exactly. And she'll soon work that out. You could see on Oli's face the other night the sht was hitting the fan. |
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Don't be ridiculous fear,i haven't read the report but who's to say its not the "rugged Aussie" who instigated this rather than Oli,as they say hard to keep a relationship going when they're o opposite side of the world.
These things happen don't they and its not for us on here to judge surely but it does amuse me that a few on here seem to have got their knickers in a twist just because Oli has copped for her. Anyhow have a good day,what time does Loose women start? |
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oli must do ok, there's no way cesca's going home in a mini metro ...
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yes ribero very likely
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These things happen don't they and its not for us on here to judge
I'd suggest that's the forum's raison d'etre. |
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i see oli is mates with murt khan on instagram. An immature wannabe imo.
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Total shock on so many levels
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The biggest shock is i thought she was intelligent.
There's someone in bloodstock having an affair with a younger woman at the moment and thinks he's the bees knees (mid life crisis). Only problem is he hasn't worked out it's bad for business. Half his friends feel sorry for the wife and the other half have wives who are panicking he will lead their husbands astray. Not good for business. And a woman scorned and all that/// |
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thought you were fishing initially TheFear...you do seem oddly invested in this in a fishwivey way
agree with ribero, i'd be betting odds on the rugged hubby on the other side of the planet has got Sheilas hanging off him |
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yeah so she does a classic damage limitation interview with the mail because of something he did? Yeah ok
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and yourself and ribero are SO ABOVE the whole thing you're both posting on here too. This news/gossip was around 2 or 3 days ago and suddenly appears in the papers...
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so she leaves their 2 year old kid at home with the husband and heads off for an 8 month jolly to the other side of the world. then calls him up and says by the way i'm banging that oli bell now, hope you don't mind.
lovely .... |
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exactly and childish oli shags her and tells his mates and guess what it it ends up in the papers and suddenly it's not such a great laugh
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