Star couple Dan Ewing and wife Marni fly into a problem

[Mishyy]

HE'S one of the stars of Australia's biggest soap and she's, well, married to him.

Home and Away's Dan Ewing might be the A-lister, but it's his socialite wife Marni that has the gossip mills churning.

Confidential understands some colleagues are fed up with demands from the couple, which came to a head on a trip to London this week to film scenes for Home and Away.

A Seven network source indicated Ewing wasn't happy with the initial premium economy booking. The entire cast is understood to have been upgraded to business class, while the remainder of the production crew sat at the back of the plane.

Ewing footed the bill for his wife to join him in Europe.

Seven initially declined to comment on the issue but later played down the situation by issuing Confidential this glowing statement.

"Dan and Marni are a great couple, they are devoted to each other and rarely leave each other's side," said a spokeswoman.

"In the high pressure world of show business, this is a wonderful attribute and as a bonus, makes for very good red carpet photos!"

It is common practice for celebrities to be gifted items in exchange for publicity but not often their partners unless they are also famous.

Marni is a prolific social networker, constantly thanking PRs for their gifts on Instagram (she has 21000 followers) and Twitter (20514 followers).

On one occasion Marni was sent a bike by Pure Blonde beer and posted the image on Instagram. "Thank you Pure Blonde, I love it."

Marni regularly gets her hair done at a Newtown salon and regularly tweets thanks to its owners.

When contacted, the salon said Marni is a "spokesperson for the brand". And she recently posted an image of her in a bikini, thanking a Queensland swimsuit brand with the comment "can't wait for summer".

A high profile PR, who did not want to be named, said the Marni is notorious for soliciting free merchandise and services.

"Marni acts like she's the actor on Home and Away, sourcing more for herself from PR showrooms than for her husband," said the insider.

"More often than not, when you have Dan Ewing in to collect some stock, it is Marni that walks away with a bunch of freebies. Dan is well liked and has a strong following on social media so it is a good opportunity to have him in. But what you have to realise is that what comes with Dan are Marni's requests."

Dan's manager Steven Harmon denied the claims, saying that the reports were "completely incorrect" and people bagging the couple were "full of s***".

The couple are both ambassadors for the Sydney Kings, with a spokeswoman for the basketball team saying it "wasn't necessarily unusual" for both a husband and wife to be signed as supporters given "they both have a big following".

Marni lists her profession as a publicist and a model.

Source

I know i've never met her but i don't like her. She gives me a blah vibe.

[JamesC10]

What a vile article!!! That newspaper publisher should be ashamed of herself... Poor Marni as she read this article the day after she had her miscarriage

[TelephotoMarigold]

This was also posted in the 'Inside Soap Awards' thread.

[Dingo x]

I found this article completely rude.

Marni was ten weeks pregnant, and a couple of days ago they lost their baby.

For this journalist to put this article up just after her miscarriage is so horrible! In fact to post this article at all is horrible.

Who cares if she get freebies. Reading this it sounds like the journalist has a problem with Marni thanking everyone that gives her freebies.

All she's doing is showing how grateful she is. What's so wrong with that?

I hate this article so much!

"Marni regularly gets her hair done at a Newtown salon and regularly tweets thanks to its owners."

OMG! How dare Marni go get her hair dyed AND say thank you.

This article is horrible and pointless. Marni and Dan don't deserve this.

Marni's reply back can be found on her Instagram page.

[Ukfan2013]

The author of that article sounds like she is in the school playground. Pointless, and even if that was true where is the crime? People/Companies give them stuff and she thanks them or her husband paying for her to go to London. Just don't get it and really no need, especially when they knew what they had just gone through but published it anyway. Most journalists really think they are it and can get away with whatever they like

There was another article here http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2013/10/dan-ewing-demands-apology-after-ill-timed-gossip-article.html

"TV Tonight has confirmed cast were always booked on Business Class by Seven and crew on Premium Economy. It correctly noted Marnie Ewing’s ticket had been paid for privately."

Talk about kicking someone when they are already down. My thoughts go out to Dan and Marni. So awful that they are on the other side of the world aswell away from home. I have seen a lot of support for them on twitter and hope they can take some comfort from that.

[mokhashin]

Sounds like a bitter person who wrote this article. So companies give her freebies, and she tanks them? She gets her hair done and thanks the hairdressers on her Twitter? Her husband paid her to fly to London with him. Where is the wrong she has done?

And the fact, that the article was published AFTER they were informed about the miscarriage just makes it seem really nasty.

[Mishyy]

Update From Dan's Twitter

t’s hard to think of a more tragic set of recent circumstances, but an ill-timed gossip column article has backfired on the Daily Telegraph.

The article published yesterday targeted Marnie Ewing, wife of Home and Away actor Dan Ewing, over her use of social media, gifted items and a recent trip to the UK.

But it could never have forseen publishing the story just hours after the couple tragically lost the baby 10 weeks into Marnie’s pregnancy. The newspaper is understood to have been advised, but it was after copy had been sent to print.

It didn’t help that the article contained factual errors, claiming Home and Away cast travelling to London had been upgraded to Business Class after Dan Ewing was unhappy, while the rest of the crew sat “at the back of the plane.” TV Tonight has confirmed cast were always booked on Business Class by Seven and crew on Premium Economy. It correctly noted Marnie Ewing’s ticket had been paid for privately.

The timing, on the back of the voracity of the original article, has now resulted in a significant backlash on social media including a letter from Marni Ewing via Instagram (here and here) in which she indicates she travelled to the UK to be with her husband during her pregnancy.

“If I had ever wanted to preserve a day, just for myself and my husband, it was today,” she wrote.

“But you decided to go ahead with it. You thought ‘What the hell? Why should someone who gets free stuff sometimes mourn on a day like this?’ My husband flew me to London, yes. Because we were 10 weeks pregnant with our first child and we feared being apart in case something happened.”

Source

[SmileGirl]

I'm under the understanding that Dan and Marni informed the newspaper of their circumstances and they were told the article had already gone off to publication, don't think they could have stopped it. In saying that, the company could have pulled the Internet article down. Some of the facts in the article are wrong, I do understand the general message though. I don't know of anyone else's partner that is entitled to PR gifts, all power to her though, she's playing a very smart game! Very sorry to hear their loss, nonetheless.

[mokhashin]

^^

I think actually quite a few partners do get PR gifts too, at least I read many of them thanking for them on Twitter.

Also, the magazine should have and could have already apologized or offered condolences, but they haven't.

[amz89]

I posted about this in the other topic with the inside soap awards there was links and everything. I didnt know I could start another topic. I have since seen another article must be there response to Marnis letter.

Absolute disgrace!