AFL star Toby Pink and wife Chloe’s raw fertility journey update on Derby Day

Exclusive: Chloe Pink and her North Melbourne AFL star husband, Toby Pink, are headed to Derby Day in style just one week after sharing a heartbreaking IVF update with fans.

The loved-up couple tied the knot in 2025 and have been trying to start a family, but recently learned their first embryo transfer had been unsuccessful.

Chloe, 26, confirmed part of the reason they shared the sad news when they did was to get ahead of questions about their fertility journey at the races.

“When people are speaking to us in person, they’re so excited, so it’s obviously really disheartening to let everyone know that it didn’t work,” she told nine.com.au.

“Obviously we’ve felt those emotions and it sucks for us, so it sucks having to tell people that. But that’s part of the journey. It’s all part of it, the highs and the lows, and I think it’s nice to know that other people are excited for us because it keeps us positive.”

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She and Toby decided to share their IVF experiences publicly on social media to connect with other Australians on the same path, and to shed light on the realities of trying to start a family while facing fertility issues.

“We see a lot of highs, and we don’t always see the lows, so I think it’s nice that people are on the journey with us,” she said.

“Although we feel vulnerable sharing our journey, if sharing our experience even helps just one person or another couple feel less alone, and makes the topic less taboo, it’s worth it.”

The couple have been inundated with messages of love and support from the moment they hit ‘post’ for the very first time.

“We’re not the only ones on the journey. There’s so many other couples, and I feel like it’s not often spoken about, and it’s very, very taboo,” Chloe said.

“I’m very privileged to have an amazing platform and community around us, and though sharing something so personal isn’t always easy, especially when things don’t go the way you’d hoped, we’re very lucky to have people in our corner.”

Having that support has meant the world to Toby and Chloe, especially after she faced vile body-shaming after their wedding in March 2025.

Heading into Derby Day, she admitted there’s a part of her that is nervous about copping more negative comments when photos from the exclusive Birdcage Enclosure hit the internet.

But she won’t let that stop her from looking and feeling her best on what should be a day to celebrate fun and fashion with her husband and other familiar faces.

“At the end of the day, I’m self-assured within myself. I’m happy, I feel confident, I love my outfit,” she said.

“And if there’s a photo with a bad angle, so be it. It happens to everyone.”

Toby will be right there by her side reminding her how stunning she looks regardless.

It’s obvious even from our brief interview that the North Melbourne player is just as smitten with his Mrs Pink today as he was when they exchanged rings and “I do”s almost two years ago, and not just because she’s kind, smart and beautiful.

The husband and wife duo also have a shared passion for making positive change with their platforms, so it was a no-brainer for them to rally behind Ronald McDonald House Victoria & Tasmania’s Melbourne Cup Carnival campaign.

As the official charity partner of the Victoria Racing Club (VRC), Ronald McDonald House is aiming to raise $1 million at the races to help keep families of seriously ill or injured children together.

It’s a cause close to Toby and Chloe’s hearts, so they’ll be getting hands-on at Flemington selling charity pins to support the campaign.

“Family is obviously really, really important to the both of us [and] we’re both so lucky to have platforms where we can raise awareness,” Chloe said.

Toby chimed in, “Even if we only get a few people to jump on board, we would be really proud of that.“

He also revealed that he plans to hit up his fellow AFL stars in the Birdcage for donations, so they better have their wallets handy.

“A lot of the boys are going, so I will be chasing them up,” he said.

Chloe joked that people will probably be sick of them by the end of the day, but it’s worth it to know the money will go to such an important cause.

She’s quietly thrilled that marrying an AFL star like Toby and building a platform of her own has offered her more opportunities to work with charities and other organisations working to make a positive change in the world.

Even though her rise to social media stardom kicked off when she faced cruel body-shaming last year, Chloe has found a beautiful silver lining in this work.

“Being able to sit alongside Toby and not only work with Ronald McDonald, but so many other charities that I work closely with, and to be able to have a platform to do good work, it’s such a privilege,” she said.

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