There aren’t many men who can claim to have married their wife to another man. But when More FM presenter Paul “Flynny” Flynn ties the knot with his stunning fiancée Jo Whitaker in May, he will be among the few that can say he’s done just that.
Because Flynny, who is also a marriage celebrant, was the man who conducted his fiancée’s nuptials when she married her former husband back in 2014!
The surreal yarn is slightly different to the edited version Flynny shared with More FM listeners – he claimed to have met Jo, 41, “out and about” at a pub. However, after popping the question, he ‘fesses up to Woman’s Day, “The first time we met was actually when I was Jo’s celebrant!”
Back then, the 43-year-old was married to his former wife, with whom he shares four kids, Jack, 17, Leo, 14, Mickey, 11, and Alex, eight.
“Obviously, I was happily married at the time, so it was strictly platonic, but I just really clicked with Jo,” he tells. “I thought she was an amazing girl and a stunning bride – and I thought she and her husband were a really cool couple. We became Facebook friends and liked a few of each others’ pics, but we didn’t really interact.”
Fast-forward a few years and the pair were both single 40-something parents. Mum-of-one Jo’s marriage to her former hubby had broken up in 2018, while Flynny was still reeling from the 2020 end of his 15-year marriage.
Flynny, who has been open about his battles with anxiety in the past, eventually shared the sad news of the split with his More FM listeners. “It was really, really hard,” he said. “Out of respect for my ex-wife and kids, I left it for quite a while to keep it private. I wasn’t feeling very good about it all, obviously.”
Fans cheered him on as he tentatively dipped his toe back into the dating world, which saw him quickly veto the Tinder app and even date co-host Jay-Jay Feeney’s mum for a joke.
While Flynny gushes over “caring, warm, super-fun” Jo, she praises his cooking and Dad skills.
Flynny tells how he had been scrolling through social media in his “man cave” one evening, wondering what his future held as an older single dad.
“Then I saw a picture of Jo on Facebook and was reminded of how gorgeous she is,” he tells. “And I knew from her posts that she was single, so I sent her a message asking if she would have a drink with me. Hypothetically.”
Laughing, part-time retail worker Jo adds, “And I responded with, ‘Yes. Hypothetically!'”
The couple, who both live in Auckland’s Gulf Harbour, met at a local pub, with Jo even bringing along a pal for support, but she needn’t have worried. Swooning, she recalls, “He just waltzed round the corner, wearing a denim jacket with a sheepskin collar, and… ooh!”
Things quickly progressed as the smitten couple discovered how happy they felt in each other’s company. In November, Flynny popped the question with a 14-carat white-gold and diamond sparkler from Walker & Hall, at their favourite Italian restaurant on one of their Thursday date nights.
“I absolutely love it – it’s perfect. But he could have proposed with a Burger Ring and I’d be happy,” laughs Jo. “We’d talked about marriage before, but I had no idea it was going to happen there and then! I’d been at school athletics all day and I really wasn’t in the mood for going out, so I didn’t get dressed up and my nails were shocking. But Flynny convinced me to come out, saying it would make me feel better…”
Unbeknown to her, the nervous radio star had organised the proposal with wait staff. Chuckling, he recalls, “As I got down on one knee, everyone in the restaurant was cheering before I could even
get the words out. I’m hoping the memory of the moment Jo said yes is etched on my mind forever because the maître d’ was meant to film it, but she was so excited, she forgot to press the record button!”
As the couple pose for photos at our shoot, smooching between poses, it’s clear they are absolutely besotted.
Not wanting a drawn-out engagement, the lovebirds are preparing to say “I do” in May.
“Jo is stunningly beautiful, inside and out,” tells Flynny. “She is incredibly caring, warm, kind and super-fun. She has never tried to change me – she accepts me 100% for who I am. We have heaps of friends, but we have just as much fun on our own.”
Adds Jo, “We both love a huge range of music. A favourite night would be just us at home, each putting records on and just dancing to music with a glass of wine – while Flynny cooks. He’s the best cook and I just can’t! He’s also funny, kind, gentle, warm and a great father. He’s everything I had on my list for a dream partner.”
Flynny proved himself yet again recently. Jo marvels, “One morning, I just didn’t feel right, so he immediately took me to the doctor and stayed with me from 8am till 8.30pm. He was stuck in this waiting room with Coronation Street on the TV for hours, with no complaining at all. That’s what he’s like – he makes the bad times good and the good times even better!”
With five kids between them, the couple – who moved in together in December – both admit that forging a new relationship with a blended family has its challenges. “There are always teething issues,” tells Flynny. “It’s a work in progress, but we’re doing our best to make sure everyone’s OK.”
Jo says Flynny’s eldest son Jack is “so cool”, while the radio star has struck up a friendship with Jo’s bubbly seven-year-old daughter Bella. “We’ve got a really special bond,” tells Flynny, with Jo declaring them “two peas in a pod”. Likewise, his son Alex “absolutely loves Jo to bits”.
The reaction to their engagement from More FM listeners has been “amazing”, tells Flynny, who has lined up his bestie and co-host Jay-Jay to do the MC honours on the big day. “She’ll do a great job. She’s very excited.”
Co-host and friend Jay-Jay will be MC on the couple’s big day.
The couple will say “I do” in May in a “big, celebratory, relaxed, loving, happy day” with 100 family members and friends at a beachside Auckland resort. “Life’s for living, so we didn’t want to have one of those engagements that drags on,” tells Flynny.
“I never gave up on love. Never thought I’d be single the rest of my life. Always hoped that I’d meet someone. Your eyes are definitely more wide open second time around and there’s a bit more baggage, but it’s super-lucky that I’ve found the perfect person for me.”
Looking passionately into Flynny’s eyes, his bride-to-be declares, “And I just love everything that you are. You’re absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t change an absolute thing. I love, love, love this man!”
