‘That was the moment when I hit rock bottom’: Shanina Shaik admits the attention her split from ex-husband DJ Ruckus received led her to ‘hide away’ with her family
Shanina Shaik has spoken candidly about her split from husband DJ Ruckus, saying it resulted in her hitting ‘rock bottom’.
The model, 29, and musician, real name Gregory Andrews, parted ways in June 2019, with her filing for divorce a month later, after 14 months of marriage. Their divorce was finalised on January 23.
Discussing the amount of attention the break-up received on Wednesday, Shanina told Roxie Nafousi on The Moments That Made Me that she was so overwhelmed she ‘hid away’ with her family in Australia to escape from it.
‘That was the moment when I hit rock bottom’: Shanina Shaik admitted on Wednesday the attention her split from DJ Ruckus (pictured in 2018) got led her to ‘hide away’ with her family
Shanina explained: ‘That was a moment for me when I hit rock bottom. As soon as it was filed, TMZ grabbed a hold of it and it was all over the internet.
‘And It’s embarrassing. […] I ran off to Australia with my family while this was all happening and turned off my phone.
‘I hid away in Australia while this was all happening,’ she went on.
Struggle: Shanina said it was ’embarrassing’ that news of her divorce spread quickly, as she said: ‘I ran off to Australia with my family while this was all happening and turned off my phone’
Split: The model, 29, and musician, real name Gregory Andrews, parted ways in June 2019, with her filing for divorce a month later, after 14 months of marriage
In her divorce documents, Shanina – who cited irreconcilable differences for the split – requested spousal support but the terms of the divorce were kept under wraps so it is unclear whether the court granted her request. They had a prenuptial agreement in place.
News of their split came as a surprise to fans as just a few months before, the brunette beauty said she was ‘thinking about’ starting a family with her beau.
Shanina has since moved on with businessman Seyed Payam Mirtorabi, and she made their relationship Instagram official in February.
Honeymoon period: Shanina has since moved on with businessman Seyed Payam Mirtorabi, and she made their relationship Instagram official in February
The Victoria’s Secret model also went on to discuss her career, saying she has been able to overcome her self-esteem issues and ‘finally embrace my curves’ in the last year.
Looking back at when she started out, Shanina said: ‘It was really hard for me to book bigger jobs in Australia because I don’t look like the typical, the idea of what everyone thinks the stereotype of what Australians look like.
‘So I got into a modelling show. And I did this show because the prize was to get a contract with a New York modelling agency… I came runner up but luckily I got a contract straight after the show.
‘The agent saw a picture of me and gave me a contract, and I flew over when I was 17. From the day I stepped foot in New York, I was very lucky, jobs were just flooding in for me and I just knew I was in the right place.’
She claimed getting booked by Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2011 ‘changed my entire career’, but added that she struggled with the pressures of the modelling world in the past.
In 2020, things have changed as she added: ‘Now is a time where I can finally embrace my curves, because it wasn’t celebrated or accepted maybe eight or nine years ago.’
Stunning: The Victoria’s Secret model also went on to discuss her career, saying she has been able to overcome her self-esteem issues and ‘finally embrace my curves’ in the last year