When Celeste Barber’s “hot husband” Api Robin took to Instagram on February 13 to announce the end of the couple’s 20-year relationship, friends and fans were deeply shocked.
“The past few months have been incredibly challenging and deeply heartbreaking for us both,” Api – an arborist and surfer – shared in an individual post.
“After much reflection, the decision has been made to separate. There is still love and respect between us, but sadly we are at capacity and have come to recognise we may want for different things.”
As Api made clear that the former couple’s priority remained with their children – their shared sons Lou and Buddy, and Api’s daughters from a previous relationship, Sahra and Kyah – devastated fans waited with bated breath for Celeste to share more.
Days passed with no posts – unusual for the comedian, actress and author who gained worldwide fame thanks to her “Celeste Challenge Accepted” series where she humorously recreates celeb photos to parody influencer culture.
Now, an insider has given an insight into what led to the couple’s split, revealing that Celeste “will be making a statement, but part of her doesn’t want to.”
Celeste and Api have split after 20 years. (Credit: Instagram/apirobin)
“It just doesn’t seem real and she’s stunned Api actually pulled the trigger on a split,” the source tells Woman’s Day.
“She’d have much rather they work out a divorce deal before going public, but it’s also true that part of her doesn’t want to walk away.
“Her focus right now are their kids and trying to pull the situation together before she heads off on tour in April.”
Indeed, Celeste’s Backup Dancer tour, which sees her travelling across Europe and the UK in April 2026 is understood to be a factor in her marriage split.
“Everyone knows Api’s not a fan of travelling and thinks it’s too hard on the boys to be away from their circle of friends now they’re getting older,” the source explains.
“Celeste is devastated. It did seem like she was doing more things solo, but no one thought much of it.”
Certainly Celeste’s star power has risen considerably in recent years. She notably hosted the 2026 AACTA Awards in February, sharing an Instagram post about the event in which she joked about making photographers follow her around backstage “to prove that I’m super cool and best friends with excellent creative people”.
Add in an acting role in the 2024 movie Runt and appearances in Colin From Accounts among other commitments, and she’s been one busy lady.
Celeste Barber shared her delight about hosting the AACTA Awards. (Credit: Instagram/celestebarber)
Api last shared photos of him and Celeste together in November 2025, after he had joined his wife on tour in LA.
On his return to Australia, he shared an Instagram post about how he’d missed his dog, and then, weeks later, a video of him singing along to the Sam Fender song Seventeen Going Under – the lyrics of which focus on Fender’s own difficult transition to adulthood.
It was a subtle sign perhaps that change was on the horizon, as fans of Api’s took to the comments section to discuss the song.
“Great song about transitions in life and getting older❤️,” one wrote. “A lot of feeling in this song.. but more in this video with you singing it. Heavy feelings,” another added.
Celeste herself has previously been open about challenges the couple had experienced in the past.
Celeste had spoken previously about marriage struggles. (Credit: Instagram/apirobin)
Appearing in an April 2024 episode of Jameela Jamil’s iWeigh podcast, she spoke candidly about how the Covid pandemic put her marriage under enormous strain.
“Most of the time it can be not f***ing pretty – marriage is hard,” she shared, adding that there was one “massive and intense” fight the couple had in lockdown when she feared they were “done”.
But on that occasion Api put things in perspective.
“We are very lucky, we just absolutely love each other,” Celeste concluded.
It’s why, perhaps, her marriage split has left loved ones of the star so shocked and saddened.
“This has blindsided most of their friends, who are hoping this just a cry for help and they will be able to work through it, but there’s a lot of pressure on them both and it looks like this upcoming UK tour may have been the final straw for Api,” the source told Woman’s Day.
“If Celeste does call the tour off, that’s a good sign she wants to work on her marriage, but not so much for her professional reputation. She’s in a no-win situation.”
Related