Carrie Fit, Funny & Fearless

We’re used to seeing her sitting behind a newsdesk. But it turns out Carrie Bickmore is a serious sweat-lover – from ab-sculpting power pilates to knocking out burpees at CrossFit. Here, she opens up about fitness, food, that emotional Logies speech and her latest life-changing mission

- Alex Davies

Whether you watched it or not, chances are you know Carrie Bickmore’s 2015 Gold Logie acceptance speech was a big deal. The Project co-host used those few minutes to tell the nation about brain cancer, pay tribute to her late husband Greg Lange, who passed away from the disease in 2010, and pull on a beanie – which Lange wore during his illness – in his honour. Overnight, the conversation took hold and Bickmore’s charity, Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer, was born. To date? Around $1.2 million raised, based on beanie sales as well as the Brain Beats gig featuring major stars like Ed Sheeran. “The way Australia has gotten behind the campaign is amazing,” the 36-year-old tells WH after our Melbourne photo shoot. As well as her charity work and TV duties, the mum of two (Oliver, nine, with Lange, and Evie, two, with partner Chris Walker) has also managed to squeeze in a return to afternoon radio. Yep, the word ‘busy’ doesn’t quite cut it. Good job Bick more has her energy recipe down pat – a combination of sweat, self-care and gratitude. Plus a few rogue Beyoncé moves thrown in for good measure. Now that’s our kind of girl.

LET’S TALK FITNESS – WHAT WORKOUTS DO YOU TEND TO TACKLE?

It’s a mixed bag. I walk most days, I run and on the weekend I do a pilates class. I’ve just started CrossFit, too, which has been fun. I like the high intensity. I’m not good at things that are too slow. I’ve found a KX pilates studio, which uses weights, so it’s fast. Some weeks I get five workouts in, some only three. But I’m quite relaxed about it and my weeks are pretty active no matter what I’m doing.

WHAT DOES BREAKING A SWEAT DO FOR YOU?