At the Brunswick Heads beachfront, towering structures made from driftwood, fallen logs and twigs look even more dramatic against the stormy sky. Torrential rain is battering the place, the wind whipping wildly as we scuttle around trying to erect umbrellas, tarps and more in the hope of keeping the set dry and clear for our star arrival.
In the distance, a red-headed boy races towards us, whooping triumphantly as he spots our makeshift camp. They’d been dropped off at the wrong spot, he tells us; he’ll let his mum and sister know where we are.
A few minutes pass and finally the rain seems to be easing up. A rainbow appears. Then a double rainbow. And like magic, Leila McKinnon appears over the dunes, trailed by her two tousle-haired children, her grin wide and welcoming as she slowly makes her way towards us.
Sand and hills aren’t a great match for crutches and a leg cast. And given she’s had a long trek today, you’d forgive her for being less than impressed. But as the newly-crowned Australian Ninja Warrior host, Leila assures us she’s in her element.
“Everything is like running a Ninja course for me at the moment,” she laughs, as she hops her way down the sandy hill. “But this is fun, and the kids are loving it.”
The kids – Ted, nine, and Gwen, eight – have already peeled away, competing in a cartwheeling competition as Leila positions herself for her first snap. Gwen’s hair had been carefully curled for the photo shoot, but within minutes she’s drenched – by the showers and the ocean – and a hasty topknot is employed, as well as a quick outfit change to keep her warm.
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