Former Neighbours actress Scarlet Vas has confirmed that her husband Tayo Ricci is not her stepbrother, shutting down long-running claims in an Instagram video.
The clarification comes just days after the couple announced that they are expecting their second child together, three years after tying the knot.
Speaking in a video shared to Instagram from entertainment news outlet TMZ, the 31-year-old actress apologized to fans for the ongoing confusion regarding their relation.
"I am so sorry to admit this, but we are not stepsiblings. I honestly have no idea where this even originated from," Vas said in the video clip.
Ricci, 29, joked in response, "Well, we did do that one skit," before a clip played showing the pair kissing while pretending to be stepsiblings. "That explains it," he added.
Vas further clarified that their families are completely separate and have no shared marital history.
"Our parents have never dated. Tayo's parents have been together for 40 years and my parents over 20 years," she said.
Ricci directly addressed media coverage surrounding their family, adding, "So to all the major media companies that keep headlining 'stepsiblings are having another baby', we would like to formally ask you to please stop. And we are not stepsiblings."
Clarifying family ties
The couple, who first met as teenagers in Melbourne, previously told fans in interviews and video skits that they were stepsiblings.
Vas is best known for portraying policewoman Mishti Sharma on the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 2017 to 2018. Since leaving the television show, she has transitioned to working as a successful model on OnlyFans.
Sharing adult content alongside Ricci on the subscription platform, Vas revealed on the Uncensored Podcast that she has reached the top tier of creators on the site.
"I'm in the 0.01%, like the lowest you can go on OF. But every month's been getting better," Vas said on the podcast. "Like last month was my best month. I hit almost $200k and then this month I'm going to do well over $200k."
She noted the role their fake backstory played in their online popularity, stating, "I mean the fans love us as like a thing or not a thing. He's my stepbrother and Australian and we've known each other for a very long time."
Second pregnancy announcement
The couple announced their second pregnancy last Wednesday through a joint video post on Instagram, where Vas debuted her growing baby bump.
"We couldn’t keep this a secret any longer…" Vas captioned the post.
The clip showed Vas and Ricci walking together with their 19-month-old daughter Silva before revealing ultrasound photographs of their upcoming arrival.
Their latest announcement follows the birth of Silva, whose pregnancy was first revealed in September through an Instagram video showing a positive pregnancy test.
At the time, the couple posted ultrasound clips where they heard their baby's heartbeat, later confirming they were expecting a girl with the caption, "Baby Ricci. Our Christmas Miracle."
Mykonos wedding wardrobe malfunction
Vas and Ricci married in 2023 on the Greek island of Mykonos, where the actress wore a strapless layered wedding gown featuring a high slit.
However, strong winds during the ceremony caused a severe wardrobe malfunction that left guests believing she was unclad.
Vas told news.com.au that severe weather conditions led attendees to believe she was naked as she walked down the aisle.
"It was a dress that had lots of layers but it was not sheer, you definitely couldn't see underneath," Vas told the news outlet. "my veil flew off and the dress split open and revealed my underwear."
She explained, "Everyone thought I had 'gone naked' to my wedding, but it was just the wind which had blown up all the layers, so it looked like I was wearing nothing at the bottom."
