Nikki Osborne has revealed she was issued a warning by her friends before she appeared on Dancing With The Stars Australia with Ben Cousins.
The comedian, 42, is starring alongside Ben, 46, on the 2024 dance competition and admitted she knew little about the former AFL star beforehand.
However, she revealed some of her friends warned her to ‘stay away’ from Ben because of his troubled past.
Ben’s casting on the Channel Seven show raised some viewers’ eyebrows because of his 2020 conviction for stalking the mother of his children.
Speaking about the controversy, Nikki told Daily Mail Australia: ‘It’s funny because I didn’t know Ben before I started and I had female friends saying ”oh stay away from him” and I was like ”oh geez OK”.’
However, Nikki insisted Ben is a ‘sweetheart’ and they have bonded and become good friends during their time on the show.
‘When I first met him I was like ”oh my God, he’s just a sweetheart”. He’s a humble, lovely sweetheart and we got on great,’ she said.
‘He even came to my show in Perth and supported me over there, so whatever people think Ben Cousins was, he no longer is.’
Nikki Osborne has revealed she was issued a warning by her friends before she appeared on Dancing With The Stars Australia with Ben Cousins
Earlier this month, several fans shared their thoughts on X – formerly known as Twitter – with some feeling uncomfortable about his appearance on screen.
‘Oh great, now time for their forced Ben Cousins redemption,’ one person complained on the social media platform.
‘How many second chances does Ben Cousins get? He must know dirt on a lot of people,’ another said.
While someone else chimed in: ‘Seeing Ben Cousins on the platform doesn’t sit right with me.’
‘Just putting it out there that I am very uncomfortable with Ben and Ant [Middleton] in this cast. I’m not here for their redemption arc,’ one more wrote.
However, others were happy to see the former footballer appear in the competition, with one person posting: ‘At least Ben did some decent steps. Cute.’
Ben’s casting on the Channel Seven show raised some viewers’ eyebrows because of his 2020 conviction for stalking the mother of his children
‘Loved the Foxtrot. Well done Ben and Siobhan,’ another person tuning in at home shared.
Ben has been working on rebuilding his life and career in recent years after a fall from grace which saw him jailed on six separate occasions in 13 years.
He won the Brownlow Medal in 2005 and captained the West Coast Eagles from 2001 to 2005, securing the club’s best and fairest awards four out of those season.
He impressively played 238 games and booted 205 goals for the West Coast Eagles, where he won a premiership with the club in 2006.
However, in 2007, he publicly battled a drug addiction as well as dealing with his failed relationship with Maylea Tinecheff.
He was later sacked and copped a one-year ban from the AFL for repeated infringements.
In November 2020, he was then convinced for stalking Tinecheff, his ex-partner and the mother of his two children.
Ben has been making a career comeback with his appearance on Dancing With The Stars alongside professional dance partner Siobhan Power
The former West Coast Eagles captain spent more than six months behind bars before facing a two-day trial in Armadale Magistrates Court.
He was sentenced to seven months in prison, which was backdated it to his April 22 arrest.
He has since began to rebuild his life, joining WAFL club Perth Demons to be a part-time mentor the team’s under 19s side, as well as working for Channel Seven in Perth.
He has also volunteered at several events in and around Perth with community group KALT Collective, which helps disadvantaged youths, addicts and reformed criminals.