In the weeks following Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s shock separation last September, the internet was alight with claims the country crooner had moved on with a mystery woman who worked in the music industry – and a slew of beautiful blondes were named and issued denials – in connection with the Fighter singer.
Fast forward a few months and a new woman has entered the fold – Shayla McGhee.
KEITH FINDS LOVE?
Fresh off the back of headlining the C2C: Country to Country in London, the 58-year-old Brisbane singer was seen jetting out of London’s Stansted airport on Saturday accompanied by Shayla, with a showbiz insider revealing that Shayla and Keith appeared to be keeping a low profile and doing their best not to be seen.
Arriving in separate cars from the same London hotel, the pair boarded the private jet 10 minutes apart, with their next destination believed to be Belfast, where Keith played another gig.
“Shayla’s been working in Nashville on the music scene for years after PAing for Jared Leto in LA on a string of his movies. In fact, she helped Jared rediscover his passion for music, so she’s like a handler-stroke-muse,” an insider reveals of Keith’s new sidekick, who it’s believed put down roots in Nashville in 2022.
“She knows everyone, including Keith, so it’s no surprise to see them together. Officially she’s working with him on his C2C gigs, but they’ve been inseparable the whole time.
“She’s the only one flying with him on his jet so everyone’s questioning whether this is just a professional relationship, but no one knows for sure. The fact they arrive in separate vehicles only adds to the suspicion – it’s clear she’s someone he’s trying to protect.”
NICOLE MOVES ON
The timing of Keith being “spotted” with Shayla has also raised eyebrows, with rumours that his ex-wife Nicole has moved on and into the arms of her close friend and Scarpetta co-star hunky Simon Baker.
“It’s unusual for Keith to be photographed getting on and off a private jet without his knowledge.
“But all that may have changed after those rumours about Nicole and Simon exploded in the news. That would have been a kick in the teeth for Keith, who considers Simon among one of his friends. And seeing Nicole swan about awards season with Sunday and Faith would’ve also stung. It has everyone convinced it was the last straw.
“It’s possible he saw red and let himself be pictured with Shayla.”
While Keith was sneaking onto private jets with his new friend, Nicole, 58, was stealing the show presenting at the Oscars with Ewan McGregor, and revealing she’ll be co-chairing the upcoming Met Gala with her 17-year-old daughter Sunday Rose.
It comes as questions continue to be raised about whether Keith has become estranged from his daughters Faith, 15, and Sunday.
Tellingly, in her first magazine cover for Elle Australia, Sunday gushed about her mum, calling Nicole “her biggest inspiration”, but failed to reference her world famous father at all.
Showbiz mogul Rob Shuter says Keith was left “numb” by the deliberate lack of reference.
“Seeing it in black and white like that really hurt. He feels erased,” he says.
“The kids have essentially cut off contact with Keith. This isn’t just about a quote – it’s been building for a while,” the insider claimed to Rob’s Naughty But Nice Substack.
“He’s putting on a brave face but privately he feels like he’s lost his daughters.”
And if Shayla really is the mystery girlfriend the world has been waiting for, she couldn’t have arrived into Keith’s world at a better time – when he seemingly needs all the support he can get.
“If she is the mystery girlfriend we’ve all been wondering about, Shayla makes perfect sense.
“She’s incredibly discreet, she’s used to high profile celebrity scenes and she’s passionate about music, especially live music. She’s gorgeous, has a killer bod and understands the whims of a musician in a way Nicole always wished she could.”
