A popular parenting influencer has revealed that she is now engaged – less than a year after her marriage of 17 years has ended.

Anna Whitehouse spoke about the news on her Dirty Mother Pukka podcast, explaining that she has overcome the ‘grief’ of her divorce, which she and her ex announced eight months ago.

The social media star, who has more than 417,000 followers on Instagram, and Matt Farquharson, 46, admitted that their marriage ended in April of 2023, with an October article in the Sunday Times.

The pair have two young daughters – Eva and Mae – and become an online sensation in 2019 after going viral for their ‘team effort’ parenting techniques.

The exes have also insisted they are ‘best friends’ and work to be ‘amicable’ as they are raising their children together. 

Taking the Instagram to share the news, Anna captioned a picture of her and her new beau, Olly Bretton – who doesn’t appear to have a big social media presence – looking loved up 

Taking the Instagram to share the news, Anna captioned a picture of her and her new beau, Olly Bretton – who doesn’t appear to have a big social media presence – looking loved up.

‘So this happened. Can’t stop smiling,’ she wrote. ‘Still can’t quite believe it. Here’s to a very different, blended family love story.’

Speaking on her podcast to co-host Polly Hazelwood, Anna said the engagement left her revelling in joy but simultaneous ‘weirdness’. 

‘It’s so weird to even say out loud. I think when you share the personal quite publicly, it does feel quite weird in a way,’ she said. 

‘I don’t know how to say other than… I’m engaged! I’m engaged to be married!’

Co host of the Global Player pod Dirty Mother Pukka, Polly, was all smiles as she congratulated her friend on the good news.

Anna, who writes for a number of publications including The Telegraph, The Independent, and is a columnist at Grazia, reflected on her ‘conflicting’ feelings.

‘Yeah, so it’s big news, and I have really been in two minds, a bit conflicted about even speaking about it to be honest, much like even announcing divorce,’ she revealed. 

The social media star, who has more than 417,000 followers on Instagram, and Matt Farquharson, 46, admitted that their marriage ended in April of 2023, with an October article in the Sunday Times. The exes pictured in 2020

‘I think that when you live your life slightly publicly, there’s a certain storyline that people need to be taken along the journey with, I suppose, and I am also incredibly happy.’ 

The podcaster reflected on the ‘grief’ of her divorce as well as the worry over how others in the public space will react.

‘I think there’s also the fear and the stigma – when you have also divorced – of almost finding that happiness,’ she said

‘I say this on both sides, both sides of the partner fence. What people don’t understand is that you’re often grieving the relationship towards the end of it, the last sort of two, three years you are processing as you go.

‘I do think that there is that sense of that stigma of being… just even the word “divorcee”. I don’t like that word. It’s not that I don’t like I have another chapter of my life that I can look back on, and it’s not a grief in that sense. 

‘But I definitely feel like, especially in the current climate, I think saying you’re happy comes with a wait.’

Alongside her work as a journalist, editor, and podcaster, Anna (pictured last month) has also authored a book, Underbelly, which came out in 2021

Polly congratulated her close friend on the news – and for coming out the other side of the end of her relationship with Matt.

‘My God, I have seen you, like, wade through the mud,’ she gushed. ‘I am so full of emotion, but I am so full of joy.’

As she became emotional, Anna recounted her feelings of guilt over the joy she had experienced in her new relationship. 

‘Because what comes down on it is also like wanting to make sure your children are okay,’ she admitted. ‘Wanting to hold them through all of these decisions.’

Anna and her husband to be, Olly, will join together ‘under one umbrella family’ as he brings with him two children of his own from a previous relationship.

‘A very different formation of family that I ever imagined walking down the aisle 17 years ago,’ she said.

She added: ‘It is my kind of happy ending and I never thought I would understand joy then when we told them how, where and when we got engaged.’

Alongside her work as a journalist, editor, and podcaster, Anna has also authored a book, Underbelly, which came out in 2021. 

Writing in the Sunday Times in October, Matt revealed that ‘the marriage ended on a Wednesday evening in April this year [2023]’.

He added: ‘We sat by our open back door, staring at the greenery of our tiny London garden, and agreed that it was done. The moment came quietly, after three years of marriage counselling and peaks of affection and troughs of doubt.

‘There was no rage, just silent nods and damp eyes while our two daughters, aged ten and six, slept upstairs.’

In the piece, both he and Anna revealed their plans to co-parent and opened up about the anxiety of telling their kids about their separation.

Anna dubbed the relationship a ‘successful divorce’ rather than a ‘failed marriage’. 

Dirty Mother Pukka is available to listen to now on Global Player, or wherever you get your podcasts