Sunrise’s cheeky weatherman, Sam ‘Sam Mac’ McMillan, shares much of his life with millions of Aussies every day. But when he and partner Rebecca James found out they were expecting their first child together, he really just wanted to keep it a secret.
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“It was really nice to have something that was just ours, and it was for quite a few months,” Sam tells New Idea.
“I was still happy to not share it just yet, but Bec was starting to get a bump and she didn’t want people wondering.”
When it came time to reveal their happy news, Sam, 40, and Bec, 32, went to lengths to surprise their parents and siblings in person, travelling from Sydney to Melbourne and Adelaide to share the joy.
Of course, they filmed the excited reactions – which included Sam’s dad’s cheeky tease over the absence of an engagement ring on Bec’s finger – and posted a beautiful video on social media.
“He kept going on about that, saying, ‘I’m looking for a big rock.’ And I said, ‘Dad, just be happy with the other news we just shared,’” Sam jokingly groans.
There’s no doubt that Sam has found his soulmate in Bec. “I think [a wedding] is something to look forward to in the future, but I certainly don’t feel the need to put a timeline on it,” Sam says.
“I always feel with relationships there is no rule book … and you can’t tell people the order that things should happen.
“Yes, it’s moving fast, but it doesn’t feel fast to us because we wanted this to be part of our future, and we’re extremely excited for it.”
Sam and Bec were introduced through a mutual friend in 2020 when much of Australia was in lockdown. Sydney-based Sam initially messaged Melbourne-based Bec on Instagram.
“We couldn’t meet in person, so we just spoke every day on the phone, and FaceTimes and Zooms… so by the time we could meet in person we knew each other so, so well, but also not at all,” he says.
Sam had already fallen in love with Bec before they met in person, but was reluctant to admit it to himself in case it didn’t translate when they met for the first time six months later at a Melbourne restaurant.
“We both went in with very similar expectations and a cautious approach, but thankfully, she couldn’t resist me!”
Bec took the lead with their second date, inviting Sam over for a home-cooked meal – Bang Bang Chicken – and a Harry Potter film the following week.
“There’s something about her that I instantly found very calming. She’s changed how I look at life in the best possible way.”
Sam and Bec are still negotiating over whether to find out the sex of “mini Mac”, but he has a gut instinct Bec’s carrying a girl, while she says it’s going to be a boy.
“We’re both so happy,” says Sam. “I’m over the moon and can’t wait for that moment to meet the little one.”
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