Back in 2015, Belle spoke to Woman’s Day about the aftermath, describing Clive as “supportive but obviously devastated” by the scandal.’
‘He’s been very stern, along the lines of, “I just want you to acknowledge where you’ve f***ed up and not try and smooth over that,”‘ she added.
She also made statements about Rothwell’s involvement in her businesses and how he funded much of her life. Back in 2019, it was thought that she owed Rothwell $90,000 from him covering her legal fees.
Just like in the series, it seems that a lot of Clive’s motivations centred around looking out for Belle’s son. In a 2024 interview with Woman’s Day, Chanelle McAuliffe (who inspired Aisha Dee’s whistleblower character in the series) opened up about Clive’s primary mission to look after him.
He reportedly said to Chanelle when she implored him to tell the truth about Belle’s lies: “I need to protect that little boy. She’s not sick and she’ll try to destroy anyone that exposes her.”
BEN KING / Netflix
Are Belle Gibson and Clive Rothwell together now?
By the time of Belle’s trial in 2019, she said that they did not share a romantic relationship, and referred to him as a “friend”. She also confusingly said that she did not know much about what Clive did for a living. In the show, the character was an IT consultant.
They seemed to live together until around this time too, with Clive funding a month-long trip for Belle and her son to go to Africa, as well as their living expenses.
Clive was pictured with another woman back in 2023, though, with the general consensus being that he and Belle are no longer together.
He has kept a low profile since the scandal around Belle broke, and has not commented on Apple Cider Vinegar, having reportedly rejected requests for interviews since the show launched.
