Keith Urban has revealed that his marriage to Nicole Kidman nearly collapsed just four months after their 2006 wedding, due to his struggles with addiction. In a resurfaced clip from last April's AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute, the country singer confessed that his substance abuse issues 'blew our marriage to smithereens' early on.
Speaking at the event, Urban said: 'We got married in 2006, and barely four months into our marriage, the addictions that I had done really nothing about blew our marriage to smithereens.' He added that he spent three months in rehab, uncertain of the future of their relationship.
Urban credited Kidman for standing by him during that difficult period, stating: 'Nic pushed through every negative voice – I'm sure even some of her own – and she chose love. And here we are tonight, 18 years later. Her capacity to love is like no one I've ever met.' Kidman was visibly emotional during the speech.
The couple's split was confirmed by HELLO! on Monday, ending their 19-year marriage. Urban had previously been in rehab twice before marrying Kidman, and relapsed again shortly after the wedding. In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, he said: 'I caused the implosion of my fresh marriage. It survived, but it's a miracle it did.'
Kidman also spoke about the early challenges in a 2007 Vanity Fair interview, saying: 'I'm more than willing to walk it with him. The two of us are very committed to our relationship. But it was painful, deeply painful.'
