Michelle Bridges At 50: Moving On

Ahead of her milestone birthday, the star invites who into her new home and opens up about the most challenging year of her life

- Melissa Field

For most of us, 2020 is a year we’d prefer to forget and in a lot of ways, for Michelle Bridges, that’s a sentiment she can relate to. Add in the breakdown of a long-term relationship and dealing with a drink driving charge and it’s no surprise a reflective Michelle tells WHO, “It’s been a particularly challenging year for me, like it has been for everyone, but I’m moving on.”

But it hasn’t all been bad though for the Australian fitness trainer, businesswoman and entrepreneur. Her 12WBT program celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, her milestone 50th birthday is on October 20 – and Bridges has made a major life change by relocating from the hustle and bustle of Sydney with her 4-year-old son, Axel, to her lush property in NSW’s Southern Highlands.

Here, she invites WHO into her home and opens up about the highs and lows she’s faced, and her plans for the future. “I’m kind of making things up as I go,” she says.

Congratulations on the milestone birthday. How do you feel about turning the big 5-0?

I’m OK with it. It beats the alternative, right? I didn’t really want to do anything special to mark it, like I wasn’t planning a big party. But at the back end of last year I started thinking about it. Then I realised that what I really wanted to do was take my son Axel to Disneyland. He’d get such a kick out of it and I’d get such a kick out of seeing him enjoy it. That was the plan. So now what I’m thinking of doing is having a quiet dinner with some very close friends and that will do me.

What life lessons would you like to tell your 25-year-old self?