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Home / Entertainment

Mariah Carey breaks silence about fight and split with James Packer

news.com.au
28 Oct, 2016 04:30 AM7 mins to read

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Singer Mariah Carey has ended her engagement with James Packer. Photo / Greg Bowker

Singer Mariah Carey has ended her engagement with James Packer. Photo / Greg Bowker

Mariah Carey's camp have broken their silence as speculation swirls around her reported split from Australian billionaire casino mogul James Packer.

In a statement from Carey's "people" read out on Sunrise today, it was confirmed that their relationship was on the rocks after the couple had a fight in Greece.

"Mariah Carey and James Packer had a fight in Greece. They have not seen each other since," the statement read.

Contrary to reports in TMZ that Carey had cheated on Packer with a dancer, and that Packer was unhappy with her excessive spending, the statement confirmed the fight was not caused by either of these allegations.

James Packer and Mariah Carey arrives at the 2016 G'Day Los Angeles Gala at Vibiana on January 28, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Photo / Getty
James Packer and Mariah Carey arrives at the 2016 G'Day Los Angeles Gala at Vibiana on January 28, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Photo / Getty
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"The fight was not because of cheating allegations or excessive spending by Mariah. James is one of the most successful businessmen in the world," it read.

It was also confirmed that the couple were trying to reconcile their differences,
"They are trying to work it out but right now they are not sure if they will stay together.

They are discussing it and plan to release a statement about their future," the statement read.

According to TMZ, a source linked to Carey claimed Packer did "something really bad" involving her assistant on a luxury yacht. This led to Carey leaving and heading back to Los Angeles.

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Yesterday it was reported that Packer, 49, and Carey, 46, had ended their engagement after a whirlwind romance.

TMZ reported that Carey may have had a "rendezvous" with one of her dancers in her Las Vegas show, which was caught on video as part of filming for her upcoming reality TV series, Mariah's World.

But Woman's Day magazine reported that the couple's engagement was off after Packer allegedly decided to end their relationship "over her new reality TV show and extravagant spending".

According to Woman's Day, a source said Packer, 49, is understood to have walked away after Carey, 46, was prepared to put her life on her new reality TV show, allowing her to keep the 35-carat, $10 million diamond engagement ring he gave her in January this year.

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Woman's Day's sources however seemed certain that the relationship is done.

"It's all over," one close family friend told Woman's Day. "James had huge reservations about Mariah's new reality TV show and the fact that she was willing to expose their lives to the world."

Packer has not appeared on Carey's Twitter feed since a July 12 picture which showed the couple with another unidentified man.

However, the singer posted a picture of the couple on Instagram four weeks ago.

It is also understood Packer's family are finding it hard to get along with Carey.

According to Woman's Day, a source said she would not go to James' sister Gretel's 50th birthday in Sydney.

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"When she refused to come to Australia for Gretel's birthday party it created a lot of tension in the family," the source said.

"His mum [Ros Packer] hated to even hear her name mentioned and James's tight circle of friends never really thought they would marry."

Carey previously said in her E! reality series, Mariah's World, that her wedding to Packer will be "the most important event that's ever happened".

The couple's engagement was confirmed by The Daily Telegraph in January this year.

The proposal reportedly came at a private dinner at up-market restaurant Eleven Madison Park in front of a group of Carey's closest friends.

Their romance became public knowledge after they were spotted holidaying together on the Italian island of Capri in June 2015, but the love affair started earlier.

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The power couple began dating after meeting at a movie premiere in Aspen in 2014.

They toured the world on Packer's luxury Arctic P yacht as their romance developed and Packer got to know Carey and her children.

The couple weren't shy about showing their feelings for each other as they partied across continents.

Packer let the world see a more relaxed, carefree side to him as he fell in love with the famous singer and her voice.

Woman's Day also reports that Packer has turned to his first wife Jodhi Meares for support since his split with Carey. She has previously met them while they were holidaying in Europe.

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Speculation around the couple's relationship status comes as Carey has decided to spend Halloween with her ex-husband Nick Cannon and their kids. She posted a family photo of them all dressed up for the festive event on her Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

Holiday times 😘

A post shared by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey) on Oct 24, 2016 at 11:32pm PDT

Carey also recently cancelled her upcoming tour dates in Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

"To all of my lambs in South America I am devastated that a portion of this tour had to be cancelled. Thank you for all of the excitement and love; I hope to see you soon, my darlings," the star said.

Devastated my shows in Chile, Argentina & Brazil had to be cancelled. My fans deserve better than how some of these promoters treated them. https://t.co/zuEXQL12Ek

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) October 26, 2016

Carey and Packer were one of Hollywood's surprise high-profile couples. Friends of the couple have previously said it "was not love at first sight".

Packer first met Carey while he was holidaying in the Colorado ski ­resort of Aspen, where he owns a villa, in December 2013, with his US business partner Brett Ratner.

Ratner, who runs US movie ­financing company RatPac Entertainment with Packer, is one of Carey's closest friends, having produced many of the five-time Grammy winner's top-rating music videos.

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Carey, who was also in Aspen, turned up with friends to visit Ratner and was invited to "hang out".

At the time Carey was married to successful US rapper Nick Cannon, while Packer was still getting over his divorce from model Erica Baxter.

During their first meeting, there was an undeniable connection. The couple returned to Aspen together in 2015, where they spent Christmas with her son Moroccan and daughter Monroe.

The media dubbed the famous couple "Pariah", and it would have meant it was a case of being third time lucky for them.

Carey was first married Tommy Mattola, who she divorced in 1997 after four years of marriage, before tying the knot with Nick Cannon in 2008. They divorced last year.

Carey has four-year-old twins, son Moroccan and daughter Monroe, to Cannon.

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Packer's first marriage was to model turned designer Jodhi Meares - who tied the knot with photographer Nicholas Finn late last year - between 1999 and 2002.

His second wife, and mother to his three children, was Erica Baxter. They divorced in 2013 after six years of marriage. Their children are Indigo, 8, Jackson, 6, and Emmanuelle, 4.

Packer and Carey were last in Australia together back in 2015 on New Year's Eve, when Carey performed at his Crown Casino in Melbourne.

"Spectacular, handsome ... I don't even have words for the man who introduced me tonight," Carey said. "We'll just say the amazing Mr James Packer."

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