Few personal trainers have made the leap from TV screens to boardrooms quite like Michelle Bridges. She became a household name through The Biggest Loser Australia, but her story stretches far beyond the gym. Today, at 54, she is a businesswoman, a co-parent, and an outspoken voice on menopause and fitness. This is the full picture of her career, relationships, and wealth.

Full name: Michelle Bridges · Date of birth: 20 October 1970 · Age (2024): 54 · Number of children: 1 · Net worth: A$10 million (estimated) · Years as Biggest Loser trainer: 2007–2015

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Focus on menopause wellness and digital coaching (HerBusiness profile on Bridges)
  • Continued public speaking and book authorship (Profile Talent Management)
  • Activewear line not being revived (discontinued 2020) (HerBusiness profile on Bridges)

Seven key facts, drawn from public records and business profiles, define Michelle Bridges’ professional and personal profile.

Attribute Value
Full Name Michelle Bridges
Date of Birth 20 October 1970
Age (2024) 54
Children 1 son
Ex-Partner Steve ‘Commando’ Willis
Net Worth A$10 million (estimated)
Famous For Personal trainer on The Biggest Loser Australia

How old was Michelle Bridges when she had a baby?

Michelle Bridges gave birth to her son on 19 December 2015. She was 45 years old at the time (HuffPost Australia). This made her one of the older first-time mothers in Australian public life, a detail she has discussed openly.

How many children does Michelle Bridges have?

She has exactly one child, a son named Axel (Michelle Bridges’ Wikipedia page). There is no record of additional children from her previous marriage to Bill Moore or her later relationship.

How does Michelle Bridges co-parent with her ex-partner?

Bridges and Steve ‘Commando’ Willis, her former partner and fellow Biggest Loser trainer, separated in 2021 but continue to co-parent their son. In a 2022 podcast, she stated: “We put our son first, and that makes it work.” (WHO interview with Bridges)

Why did Michelle Bridges call her pregnancy comment naive?

In 2023, Bridges publicly apologised for earlier remarks that pregnancy was “easy” for her. “I was naive to think every pregnancy is the same,” she said in an interview (WHO interview with Bridges). She acknowledged that her experience was privileged and that many women face significant challenges.

The catch

Bridges’ own admission shows how a public figure’s personal ease can clash with the reality of other women, especially when that figure is a fitness icon assumed to have a perfect handle on everything.

The pattern: Bridges’ career resilience depends on her ability to learn from these public missteps.

Are Michelle and Commando still together?

No. Michelle Bridges and Steve ‘Commando’ Willis ended their decade-long relationship in 2021 (WHO interview with Bridges). They had been together since May 2013, having met on the set of The Biggest Loser Australia (Now To Love article on Bridges).

When did Michelle Bridges and Commando separate?

The separation was confirmed publicly in 2021. Bridges later described herself as “consciously single” in 2024 (WHO interview with Bridges).

What is Commando’s real name?

Steve Willis is his real name; “Commando” is a nickname earned during his military fitness background (Now To Love article on Bridges).

Do they still work together on The Biggest Loser?

Bridges left the show in 2015, and Willis is no longer a regular trainer. The franchise has not brought them back as a duo since their split.

Bottom line: Bridges and Willis ended their relationship in 2021, but co-parenting continues. A TV reunion is very unlikely.

What is Michelle Bridges’ net worth?

Michelle Bridges’ net worth is estimated at around A$10 million in recent profiles, though earlier figures reached A$53 million in 2015 when BRW ranked her 29th among Australia’s richest self-made women (Now To Love article on Bridges). The discrepancy reflects changes in her business portfolio and asset valuations over the last decade.

How did Michelle Bridges build her wealth?

She founded the 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT) online program in 2010, which generated significant revenue through subscription fees. HerBusiness reports that the program has helped Australians lose over one million kilograms (HerBusiness profile on Bridges). She also earned from book deals (eighteen titles published according to Profile Talent Management), television appearances, and endorsement deals.

Is Michelle Bridges a self-made millionaire?

Yes—she built her fortune without inheritance, starting as a fitness instructor at age 14 and scaling up through TV, products, and digital coaching (HerBusiness profile on Bridges).

What is the source of her income?

  • 12WBT online program (subscription-based)
  • Book royalties (eleven to eighteen books across various reports)
  • Speaking engagements and corporate appearances
  • Former activewear line with Big W (2016–2020)
Why this matters

For Australian women looking to build a business in the fitness space, Bridges’ trajectory shows that a TV launching pad can be converted into a durable digital empire—but only if the brand evolves beyond the screen.

What this means: For aspiring fitness entrepreneurs, the key takeaway is diversifying income streams beyond television.

What happened to Michelle Bridges’ activewear?

Michelle Bridges launched an activewear line in partnership with Big W in 2016, coinciding with the birth of her son. The line was discontinued in 2020 (HerBusiness profile on Bridges). No official reason was given, but the closure came amid retail challenges in Australia’s discount department store sector.

Did Michelle Bridges close her activewear brand?

Yes—the brand with Big W was phased out. She has not relaunched an apparel line since.

Why did her activewear line fail?

Market saturation and the shift to online shopping likely contributed. Bridges has pivoted to digital coaching and wellness content instead.

What is Michelle Bridges’ current business focus?

She now concentrates on the 12WBT platform, menopause advocacy, and public speaking about perimenopause and fitness (HerBusiness profile on Bridges).

How did Michelle Bridges become one of Australia’s richest self-made women?

The BRW ranking in 2015 cemented her status. Her wealth came from combining a media platform with scalable digital products. The 12WBT program alone generated enough recurring revenue to make her a rare female entrepreneur in the fitness space (Now To Love article on Bridges).

What is the 12WBT program?

An online 12-week fitness and nutrition coaching platform that bridges exercise plans with meal guides. It was co-founded by Bridges and operates on a subscription model (HerBusiness profile on Bridges).

How many books has Michelle Bridges written?

Her curriculum vitae lists eighteen books according to her talent agency (Profile Talent Management), though earlier sources cite eleven (HerBusiness). The count includes bestsellers on fitness, weight loss, and healthy cooking.

What other business ventures does she have?

Beyond 12WBT and books, she has produced a line of fitness accessories, a food range, and branded DVDs. Her income also includes corporate speaking fees and personal training retreats.

Why did Michelle Bridges admit her pregnancy comment was naive?

In a 2023 interview, Bridges described her earlier statement that pregnancy was “easy” as naive and apologised for the harm it caused (WHO interview with Bridges). She acknowledged that many women endure difficult pregnancies and that her experience did not represent the norm.

What did Michelle Bridges say about pregnancy?

Bridges had claimed during her pregnancy that it was straightforward for her. The comment went viral and drew criticism from women who had complicated pregnancies.

How did the public react?

Social media users called her tone-deaf. The backlash prompted Bridges to issue a formal apology and reflect publicly on the issue.

What did she learn from the experience?

She now speaks more cautiously about personal health experiences, recognising the diversity of women’s reproductive journeys. In her own words: “I was naive.”

Timeline signal

  • 1970: Michelle Bridges born in Australia (Michelle Bridges’ Wikipedia page).
  • Early 1990s: Starts fitness training classes.
  • 2007: Joins The Biggest Loser Australia as a trainer (HerBusiness profile on Bridges).
  • 2010: Launches 12WBT online program.
  • 2015: Leaves The Biggest Loser; gives birth to son Axel (HuffPost Australia).
  • 2016: Activewear line with Big W launches.
  • 2020: Activewear line discontinued.
  • 2021: Separates from Steve Willis (WHO interview with Bridges).
  • 2023: Listed among Australia’s richest self-made women; apologises for pregnancy comment.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

  • Full name and birth date from Wikipedia.
  • One son, Axel, born December 2015.
  • Relationship with Commando ended in 2021.
  • Activewear line discontinued in 2020.
  • 12WBT program founder.
  • Ranked 29th richest self-made woman by BRW in 2015.

What’s unclear

  • Exact net worth varies widely by source (A$10M–A$53M).
  • Whether she will return to TV fitness shows.
  • Full details of the NBA personality with the same name.
  • Exact number of books authored varies between 11 and 18.
  • Details of her early life and education remain sparse.
  • Specifics of her separation timeline from first husband Bill Moore are not widely reported.

In her own words

“We put our son first, and that makes it work.”

— Michelle Bridges on co-parenting with Steve Willis, WHO (2022)

For the curious fan or the aspiring fitness entrepreneur, Michelle Bridges’ story is a reminder that public personas can evolve—and that fame built on a reality show must adapt or fade. The choice for Bridges is clear: lean into menopause advocacy and digital coaching, or risk being remembered only as the tough trainer from a show that ended years ago.