Olympic swimmer Emily Seebohm has issued a firm response to a social media critic who took issue with a recent family Christmas photograph. The image, shared over the festive period, showed the 33-year-old athlete posing with her two-year-old son, Sampson, and her new boyfriend, Brandon Caust, for a Santa portrait.
The Festive Photo That Sparked Backlash
The sweet snapshot, captioned simply 'Merry Christmas' on Instagram, depicted toddler Sampson sitting on the lap of his mother's new partner. However, the family moment was not universally welcomed. One follower directly criticised the arrangement, commenting: 'I actually find this disrespectful to your son's father. Sure have a photo together, but have your boy sit on your lap.'
Seebohm, a gold medallist swimmer, was quick to reply. She stated unequivocally: 'Thanks for the feedback, but my son chose where he wanted to sit. It's not about anyone apart from him.' When the same commenter persisted, suggesting she should 'teach your son about feelings and appearances,' the athlete did not engage further. Instead, she posted a separate reaction on her Instagram Stories, writing 'Wow, some people' alongside a facepalm emoji.
A Family Dynamic in the Spotlight
The incident comes amid ongoing public interest in Seebohm's separation from her ex-fiancé, Married At First Sight star Ryan Gallagher, 37. The couple, who were engaged in 2022 and share son Sampson, confirmed their split in November after months of speculation. Their separation became an open secret earlier in the year, marked by actions such as unfollowing each other on Instagram.
Earlier in December, Gallagher himself shared a heart-warming Santa photo featuring just him and his son, noticeably without Seebohm present. This stood in contrast to the previous year's festive snap, which showed the then-united family of three together. The separate celebrations have led to questions about the current state of relations between the former couple.
Moving Forward with New Beginnings
Seebohm's Christmas photo followed the recent 'hard launch' of her relationship with new partner Brandon Caust. She first sparked dating rumours in October and made the relationship official in a social media post captioned 'Surprise,' which showed the couple at various events, including a charity gala and a Brisbane Bullets NBL game. Other images depicted them bonding with her young son.
Meanwhile, Ryan Gallagher confirmed in November that he was back on the dating scene, recounting a recent date that he said went poorly due to mismatched 'energies'. A source close to the former pair previously told Sky News Australia that their priority remains their son. 'Ryan and Emily are trying to find a new normal... Their number one priority is Sampson and ensuring he continues to feel supported by both parents,' the insider said. The report also indicated Gallagher had relocated to Brisbane following the split.
Through her concise rebuttal to the online troll, Emily Seebohm has made it clear that her focus is on her son's happiness and autonomy, setting a boundary on public commentary about her family's private moments.
