Disgraced TV presenter Billy Bush's wife Sydney Davis files for divorce after 20 years of marriage
Billy Bush's wife Sydney Davis filed for a divorce on July 13, Friday, nearly 10 months after the couple announced their separation. Citing irreconcilable differences as the chief cause behind the separation. Sydney has asked for joint legal and physical custody of their two youngest daughters – 13-year-old Lillie and 17-year-old Mary. The couple also has a 19-year-old daughter Josie whom the court already considers an adult. Sydney has also demanded spousal support in addition to other things.
After getting married since 1998, the couple separated last September, almost a year after the infamous 'Access Hollywood' tape came to the surface which revealed Donald Trump talking to Billy Bush back in 2005 about groping other women. The anchor was fired shortly afterward from his job at 'Today' once the tapes went public.
However, with a political dynasty which includes two former presidents of the USA, Bush had reportedly received a sum of $10 million when he was sacked from the job. USWeekly reached out to Bush's rep who said that the couple went separate ways after 20 years of marriage to evaluate life together. "After almost 20 years of marriage, they have separated for the moment to evaluate their life together... They love each other and their children deeply and are committed to a bright future.”
Bush has had a successful career as a showbiz journalist. However, his fame soon came crashing down when the video was leaked in October 2016 where Donald Trump is heard bragging to Bush that his celebrity status allows him to do anything that he likes with women. "You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful... I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait," he boasted. "And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything." Bush seemed to acknowledge Trump's concept of groping women as he can be heard laughing in the tape.
Bush, however, did apologize for his degraded attitude in an interview with People where he said that he was ashamed of what he had done. "I was ashamed and embarrassed... And then I went through stages of grieving because I lost my career. For a man, that’s the ultimate degradation.” Almost a year later, he announced his break up with his wife Sydney as he said, "I was a happy-go-lucky guy... Everything is going great and I was like, ‘Hey, this is awesome!’ And then, kaboom.”
However, that did not mean the end of the world for Bush. He reportedly found peace and comfort in self-reflection while his daily routine included reading the Bible. He says, "I have done so much self-help work... There is a term for what I did. It’s called bystander abuse. It says by not doing anything you are endorsing the moment. I have to live with that.”
In spite of all the trouble, Bush continued to remain hopeful about his marriage with Sydney as he thought that they would be able to overcome all the hardships. He said, "We got married young and had our first child right away... We’re taking a step back. We get to explore and take our time. She’s been so awesome through everything. I love her very much.”
However, things didn't work out as he had planned. He now stands on the brink of a divorce. Bush revealed that the #MeToo movement had a whole different meaning for him. Daily Mail quoted him saying, "I have three daughters... They are going to be in the workplace one day. I want them to be paid equally, I want them to be treated well and when they walk out of a room I don’t want to ever hear anyone talking behind their back in a degrading way."
He now sees the scandal as a stepping stone in his life. "I had some growing up to do anyway in life...I did so much exploring and figuring out. I’m a deeper person. And I’m happy about using my knowledge for a good purpose." The former-journalist does not have any plans of returning to the field, as of now he is mainly focused on the liquor company, Beach Whiskey, which he co-founded almost two years ago.