切瑞與鄧文迪結婚四個多月後,蜜月意猶未盡的切瑞發現鄧文迪跟一個比她大幾歲的男青年沃爾夫(David Wolf)有染。沃爾夫在進出口公司工作,會說一些中文。鄧文迪對切瑞說,那青年確實是她的男友,而切瑞對她而言,是一個父親的概念,不會是任何其他的關系。(She told me I was a father concept to her, and it would never be anything else.)仍然迷戀於她的切瑞無奈,只得放她走。
關於鄧文迪如何接近默多克,有個流行的版本。1997年新聞集團高層聚會,根本沒有資格參加的鄧文迪設法進入聚會大廳,“有意不小心地”將紅酒灑在默多克的褲子上(accidentally-on-purpose spilled red wine on his trousers),鄧文迪隨即蹲在地上,為默多克擦拭。
默多克家裡的保姆說,鄧文迪總是在咒罵默多克,大量的“操”詞,她總是喊叫(curses Rupert all the time. A lot of f-words. She's always yelling, crying)。保姆說,每個為她工作的人都恨她、怕她(Everyone who works for her hates her and is scared of her.)她跟默多克結婚後不久,就告訴香港某團體,默多克吃偉哥,使默多克感到尷尬。
2013年6月13日,在離結婚14周年還有12天的時候,默多克向紐約州最高法院(New York State Supreme Court)提出離婚申請。
“Oh, sh*t, oh, sh*t. Whatever why I’m so so missing Tony. Because he is so so charming and his clothes are so good. He has such good body and he has really really good legs Butt . . . And he is slim tall and good skin. Pierce blue eyes which I love. Love his eyes. Also I love his power on the stage . . . and what else and what else and what else . . . ”
美國人對鄧文迪的評價,按照富比士(Forbes)的說法,是譴責她“結交權貴向上爬,挖掘金子,乃至一路睡上去”(accused of social climbing, gold-digging, and even sleeping her way to the top)。
很多人非常同情與默多克共同打拼、共同生活30余年的安娜。在默多克與她離婚後,她向董事會告別,她的聲音充滿絕望:“這不僅是我的婚姻的結束,而且是我的生活的結束……離開他,我感到非常悲傷”(This is not the end of my marriage, but also the end of my life ...... I feel very sad to leave him.)