It was just another ordinary November morning for Lilly Sabri… until she looked at her phone.
The fitness influencer was bombarded with messages (she estimates in the thousands) from friends, family and strangers, all letting her know that her fiancé had cheated on his stag do.
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The 35-year-old, who boasts over six million YouTube subscribers and founded a million-pound health company named Lean, was accustomed to receiving thousands of direct messages daily about her Pilates workouts and healthy recipes.
But November 9 in 2023 was completely different.
While she was sleeping, a popular podcast released a new episode about a man who supposedly cheated on his well-known fiancé.
The hosts of The Girls Bathroom, Sophia Tuxford and Cinzia Baylis Zullo, allegedly dropped enough hints to suggest that it was Lilly’s relationship they were talking about.
They discussed the couple’s dog, their home in Dubai, their recent engagement and even alluded to Lilly’s business ventures.
With the podcast attracting millions of listeners per episode, speculation about the couple’s identity spread like wildfire across social media.
“I didn’t know what had happened,” Lilly told the Mail. “I opened Instagram, and there were thousands and thousands of messages with a link to a podcast.
“People were alluding that something had happened, but I had to hear it for myself.
“Everything I knew and trusted felt like it had exploded.
“I was in disbelief. It felt like I was in a reality TV show, but it was my own life, and I had zero control over it. I hadn’t asked for this.”
The physiotherapist-turned-influencer watched the episode 10 times that day, trying to process the shocking news.
Two weeks later, after widespread speculation about her relationship, Lilly released a statement confirming the rumours were true – Sophia and Cinzia had indeed been discussing her fiancé.
She wrote on Instagram: “On Thursday 9th November, I woke up to messages about a podcast episode discussing a relationship involving a newly engaged man, meeting a woman on his stag do, and subsequent encounters.
“It’s heartbreaking to confirm this is true, and discovering it in this way has been devastating.”
Four red flags your partner is cheating
Private Investigator Aaron Bond from BondRees revealed four warning signs your partner might be cheating.
They start to take their phone everywhere with them
In close relationships, it’s normal to know each other’s passwords and use each other’s phones, if their phone habits change then they may be hiding something.
Aaron says: “If your partner starts changing their passwords, starts taking their phone everywhere with them, even around the house or they become defensive when you ask to use their phone it could be a sign of them not being faithful.”
“You should also look at how they place their phone down when not in use. If they face the phone with the screen facing down, then they could be hiding something.”
They start telling you less about their day
When partners cheat they can start to avoid you, this could be down to them feeling guilty or because it makes it easier for them to lie to you.
“If you feel like your partner has suddenly begun to avoid you and they don’t want to do things with you any more or they stop telling you about their day then this is another red flag.”
“Partners often avoid their spouses or tell them less about their day because cheating can be tough, remembering all of your lies is impossible and it’s an easy way to get caught out,” says Aaron.
Their libido changes
Your partner’s libido can change for a range of reasons so it may not be a sure sign of cheating but it can be a red flag according to Aaron.
Aaron says: “Cheaters often have less sex at home because they are cheating, but on occasions, they may also have more sex at home, this is because they feel guilty and use this increase in sex to hide their cheating. You may also find that your partner will start to introduce new things into your sex life that weren’t there before.”
They become negative towards you
Cheaters know that cheating is wrong and to them, it will feel good, this can cause tension and anxiety within themselves which they will need to justify.
“To get rid of the tension they feel inside they will try to convince themselves that you are the problem and they will become critical of you out of nowhere. Maybe you haven’t walked the dog that day, put the dishes away or read a book to your children before bedtime. A small problem like this can now feel like a big deal and if you experience this your partner could be cheating,” warns Aaron.
In the aftermath, Lilly took a hiatus from social media, despite building her entire career online and posting multiple times a day.
“I just wanted to disappear. I couldn’t get away from it,” she recalled.
“I literally couldn’t look in the mirror for about nine months afterwards because I was picking myself apart.
“What happened affected my family too.
I literally couldn’t look in the mirror for about nine months afterwards because I was picking myself apart
Lilly Sabri
“Millions of people found out about my personal life before I did.
“It’s humiliating. It was so humiliating for me.”
After posting the statement, Lilly checked her social media to see if the podcast hosts had reached out to apologise, but they never did.
A year and a half later, she still hasn’t “heard anything” from them.
The emotional toll of the experience meant Lilly’s physical and mental health took a significant hit, and she’s had to pull herself out of some “dark places” over the last 18 months.
I was in disbelief. It felt like I was in a reality TV show, but it was my own life, and I had zero control over it. I hadn’t asked for this
Lilly Sabri
“It’s obviously been a long time, a difficult time, but through that period, I’ve learned a lot, and I feel like I’m in a good place now,” she said.
“Mentally, I wasn’t in a place to show up on social media, and that eventually affected my physical health as well. I needed to prioritise my mental health.
“If you’d asked me a year ago, I wouldn’t have said I’d be able to do this right now.
“But finally, I feel ready.”
Mentally, I wasn’t in a place to show up on social media, and that eventually affected my physical health as well. I needed to prioritise my mental health
Lilly Sabri
Lilly, a qualified physiotherapist and Pilates instructor, has an impressive CV that includes the NHS and Watford Football Club, before she fully transitioned to social media.
In 2021, she brought her ‘Lean’ method to the forefront with the launch of a fitness app and a range of nutritional products under the same name.
Today, Lilly is the sole shareholder of her health brand, Lean, and she plans to integrate the mental health strategies she’s learned into the business going forward.
“Without everything that happened, I wouldn’t be here right now,” she said. “I wouldn’t have gotten through it. I can’t tell you how much it saved me.
“This is a huge part of my new purpose. It’s wellness, it’s mental health, it’s helping people.
“Whether it’s a mental health crisis, anxiety, depression, or simply feeling overwhelmed, I want to help people with the skills I’ve learned, all while doing it with kindness.”
