Laura Byrne has publicly addressed her husband Matty J. Johnson's recent comments about the couple's finances, clarifying their situation after he suggested they were in "a mountain of debt" and had to rent out their dream home. Byrne stated on her "Life Uncut" podcast that Johnson, a reality TV personality, was not media-savvy enough to realize the implications of his statements made during an interview on "Home Beautiful's The Edit" podcast.
"You have to be careful with how you word things, knowing there are going to be articles about it. I had no idea. You sometimes go for the joke, but don't care about the consequences," Byrne told Johnson, referencing his remarks. She specifically cited his quote, "Yeah, we are drowning in a mountain of debt" and "We have to rent out the house, we have to get some people in there to pay off the mortgage." Byrne emphasized that this portrayal was inaccurate.
Johnson, however, maintained that he was being truthful about their financial status. "It wasn't that bad. I was like, 'We're in a lot of debt right now.' The house cost a lot of money, as did the reno," he said, adding, "We could do with a life raft though."
Byrne clarified that while they are in debt, it is manageable. "Yeah, we are in debt... but it is debt we can handle! We're not drowning in debt, everyone!" she stated, pushing back against headlines that suggested bankruptcy. She added, "The way in which you said it in this f***ing podcast interview. So the Daily Mail writes this absolute dream of a headline: Matty J and Laura Byrne forced to rent out Dream Home amid mountain of debt. And that it's an entire article which is just talking about us drowning in debt. It makes it sound like we're going bankrupt. We are so fine, everyone. No one's worried about us, I know, but I just wanted to put it out there."
Johnson had explained during his interview that the renovation of their South Coast property, named "Chante Mer" in Ulladulla, ran "wildly out of control." He said they initially planned only minor work but became involved in a larger renovation, leading to increased costs. The decision to rent out the house was made to help cover the mortgage. "We are in a mountain of debt, and we will be paying off this house for a very, very, very long time," he had stated.
"Chante Mer" is currently available for rent on Airbnb, with nightly rates between $740 and $1,600, requiring a minimum three-night stay. The couple, who met on "The Bachelor," purchased a four-bedroom semi-detached home in North Bondi for $5.2 million in 2023 and also own a $1.8 million holiday home in Bangalow. Byrne and Johnson married in November 2022 and have three daughters.