Today's episode is brought to you by JS Health Vitamins. This is Outspoken. The podcast is not afraid to say exactly what you're thinking. Our names are Amy Kate and Sophie Torba. We're identical triplets, but we often don't have identical opinions, so sometimes things can get heated. Outspoken covers all things reality TV, influences, entertainment, and issues facing women.
That is so fat thank you. I can remember when we've just signed the contracts and I've said, look, I'm really worried because I've just watched all this the last season. There isn't going to be It's not gonna be like last year.
Is that there's not going to be all.
That, And like executive producers like no, no, no, we found someone. He's like, you're gonna love him. I'm just like, okay, I believe U.
You don't know what.
You're going to do in a particular situation. I can remember sitting there like three or four weeks in and thinking I can't do this, and like you know and that you think, why did they cheat in the last seasons. Yeah, I know why they cheated because they're bought. I went through phases where I wanted to get out of the exprement, and there's no one you can talk to. You can't talk to the psyche because they're just telling the producers, and you can't talk to anyone.
On today's Under the Influence episode, we're joined by the amazing Michelle from Married at First Sight. Thank you so much Michelle for joining us.
Well, thanks for having me. I really appreciate it.
Basually, i'd love to find out what you've been doing since Maths, and I suppose how you're coping during isolation.
Well, it's kind of a continuation of Maths isolation, isn't it, because it's almost like we did the three and a half months in maths and then now we're doing COVID isolation. I had a few weeks where I could do stuff, and I had a Christmas holiday, which was awesome, but working from home. So I was firstly educated as a naturopath,
so that's my first profession. And then I went back to UNI and started education and I did secondary education, so science, maths, English, and then I thought I'd go back and study literacy and numacy, and then I went back and did a postgrade in English as a second language, so yeah. Now, because I have been medically retired from Queensland Education, I'm working with the police.
Well, and can you tell us a little bit about why you were medically retired because you mentioned before that you get asked so many questions about your voice, and so this is my answer some people's questions.
Yeah. So about eight or nine years ago, I was teaching class and my students kept laughing at me. They were saying, oh, you sound like comit the frog, miss, and I'm just like, no, I don't I sound fine. Anyway, I got checked and I basically had tumors growing on my vote courts and basically they just cut them out and I had to rest my voice where you're not allowed to talk at all, which is so difficult. And then a year later they came back. So then I
was medically retired. So I had to find another career where I don't use bomb voice so much, and I ended up in the Queensland Police Service and now I'm in the academy at doing training. So it's really good.
Do they recognize you from maths?
They they do, but because of like our kind of our chain of command, they basically would not approach me and say something, but some of them kind of look at me and like why to ask, and then some do ask, but yeah, it's okay, Like I don't mind if they ask, I'd rather than mask.
Were you so, were you scouted for the show? No?
I actually I was set to go on the show about three years ago, so I think it was about season four or I don't know, or five, and I started dating someone from school, and about four weeks into dating him, I pulled out of the whole maths process. And then this year I just got an email to say, do you want to apply? And I said, okay, I will, and yeah I did. So it kind of worked out like that, so I still had to go back and do my audition tape and and like all the other processes.
But yeah, I already knew basically the producers, and I had met them before. I didn't know them like I just met them.
I wonder who you were going to be set up with in season four? I'm trying to think.
I think it was all five it was. I think it would have been John from Melbourne.
Oh yeah, yeah, so that's nice.
Yeah so another Melbourne person, Yes, So I that's what I think who it would have been, but I'm not sure now.
So obviously you watched Maths before going on it, because we spoke to Drew last week and he'd never seen an episode but signed up, which blew our minds.
No, so well, I think i'd watched that's like the season of when I had applied then like a few years ago, and then I kind of didn't really watch it, but then we yeah, we binged watched the last season with my girlfriend just to see kind of what we were getting into. So because I don't really watch television, so and that was something that like Steve and I
wouldn't like. He found it really difficult because he watches television a lot and I never had the TV on at all, so like, we actually never turned the TV off unless we're watching something.
Did you feel apprehensive watching last seasons before you were about to go on it, because obviously it was pretty explosive with Sorrel throwing wine and that sort of thing. Were you a bit concerned because it seems to have gone up a level since you know, three or four years ago.
Yeah, so like three or four years ago, except like quite legit, so you know, and then well, was it Martha that threw the wine or.
Yes, sorry, yeah, sorry, was the recipient, wasn't she?
Yeah she got she got the wine? Yeah, but yeah, no, I think it was. It was eye opening, and it was like very frustrating as well. But I thought because the women were so disjointed and they weren't like together and they were so anti each other, and yeah, that's something that bothered me and I didn't want that to be the same in our season.
But do you think it was different in your season?
Probably not. Yeah, Like, I think that a lot of us had good intentions and we tried, and I think that I could honestly say that I would talk to everyone on the series and I would be kind or nice to them, But I think that some personalities just couldn't get on, and they were never going to get on. It doesn't matter how much I tried or anyone tried to get them to get along, they weren't going to. Yeah.
Do you think that was pushed by producers or do you think it was just that some people just didn't click.
Well, it's strange because the thing is, like Stacey and Haley just say that was a weird situation because I think that they both thought they didn't like that the other didn't like each other from the first day, but when you watch it on when we rewatched it, they're actually quite friendly for the first couple of dinner parties. So yeah, I don't know why they got that impression. Maybe there was something that they were told that this
person doesn't like you. I don't know, because everyone said the girls said to get on really well, especially on the Hens night, and first I couldn't say that anyone was annoying at all.
Maybe that's why the producers had to step in and sort of stir the pot a little bit.
And yeah, before we got the intruders, Like seriously, we could have fallen asleep at a didner part because we were all like we were basically like all friends. Like we we'd like even if we had an argument like on TV or whatever, we'd come out and just like okay, yeah, all right, and we're just like making food or sharing food or whatever, like not that we're allowed to talk, but like, you know, somebody might make something and then give everyone banana bread that was Hailey's things.
So yeah, because I think that's what Elizabeth, when she came in as an intruder, kind of said during the dinner party, She's like, Wow, this is boring. I need to stir things up. So it kind of puts into perspective that maybe that obviously was the producer's intentions, and like these people are getting on too.
Well, yeah we were, but but we were because like we're kind of like and you put Stacy and Meeting next to each other and we just start talking about our kids, and no one wants to hear about our kids, you know, so that's quite a boring conversation apparently for TV.
And I'm like, it's really exciting. And you see that one dinner party where I'm talking about, oh, yeah, I had bunyan surgery, and then somebody saying it's like, yeah, that was our dinner parties, and then yeah, unless somebody stirred something up, then yeah, we're getting so comfortable because you end up feeling almost like a family because we're there in that place on the same level. We've got a babysitter that looks after us, a producer, and we
can always go there and hang out. So if you're really sick of your partner, you can just hang out in the producer in the babysitter's room. You're not a a talk production or anything like that. But you can just sit there and just have a general conversation.
It's funny you say that because I was actually listening to an interview I don't know if you want the first season of Big Brother twenty years ago when Sarah Marie was on, but she was getting interviewed on a podcast, and she spoke about how she used to get so sick of all the housemates that she'd actually just ring up the psychologist Carmel to have a chat. It kind of sounds like you guys are like, you know, just chatting with the producers to talk to someone new.
Yeah. I think that, well, because you're stuck in the room with the same person and you can't get along. Even if it was like like like your true one, true love and you were like you know, or even your brother or sister or your mum, you'd fight with
them anyway, and you get annoyed with people. So when you're with them all the time, then you just need a break sometimes and sometimes you both go in and just sit there and speak to the like babysitter, the producer, that's it, and you know, and you might see like often we'd go there and we'd see Stacey and Michael sitting in there having a chat, and like Drew came in once and brought everyone donuts and we're just like, look that out.
It kind of sounds like what isolation is like for a lot of couples, but they don't have the outlet of talking to babysitters or producers. It's quite funny.
Yeah, And this is just that's what I say about COVID. It just feels like maths, but at on a larger scale. But this time, but this time, I've got like a little bit more freedom. I can go into my garden, I can get onto the internet. I can do like I can watch something if I wanted to, you know, use my phone.
So were you guys allowed to use the internet and your phones during filming or was that off limits?
Not while we're filming, So no, we couldn't use our phones. Like they actually take them off you, so you can't even leave it in your room. They take them off you. So you have a production phone and you have your phone and they collect it before you film.
They needed to take lessons off him a little bit more, it seems because Connie kept getting annoyed that he was on Instagram all the time.
I think that that was like, well he wasn't. I don't know. That might have been one little argument about something, but that could have been on there downtime, but I don't know. Everyone was like doing something on their phone, like when they could, like you know, Steve would have said, oh wow, you're always talking to your family and any opportunity I FaceTime anyone.
Do you think the producers might have been reading through your messages because in the last Dinner party it obviously came out all the scandalous affair between Mikey and apparently Stacey. Do you think that they might have known about that from reading his messages?
Well, we're not out of send me message. The production phone doesn't have a sin card, so we only use it for filming and taking photos. But the thing is what you don't really realize your producer. So you adopt a produce or producer adopts you, and you become best friends with this person. And I'm not sure if it's like unreal. You know the series on stand and you you believe that they're your best friend and they're kind and they do whatever you want, and you know this
is wrong and they'll fix it and whatever. See, so there you'll go to all the time. So you end up trusting him so much that you reveal a lot of information that you probably just slip up. And also, like somebody might have said something like with the Stacy and Mikey thing, Well, Alex and Stacy were quite close on the show, and then when the Alex kind of
scandal came up. I think Alex felt portrayed by Stacy a little bit because and maybe she changed alliances or I don't know, and said something about the messages because Stacy might have confined I don't know, speculation, but because alliances changed all the time, and if you got dirt on someone, maybe you use it.
Definitely just a on yourself, Yeah, depend on your morals, I suppose. Just going back to I suppose your motivation for going on Maths, you were very open about some of your previous relationships, and you did say that seven out of your eight relationships you were cheated on, which is awful. I mean, you must have met some real assholes along the way. You were you worried that they were going to match you up with someone that might cheat on you.
I'd never thought that at all. I actually like, yeah, because I didn't think that that would be like the focus of my character because there were so many other things that I talked about. But yeah, I haven't dated a lot. I've had a couple long term relationships and oh I've actually had one since my divorce and the others have been only like seven months or three months or something, So I haven't really dated a lot. And yeah,
and I never let anyone move in. So yeah, it was probably I didn't expect it because I didn't know that that was going to be the thing that they focus on.
Yeah, oh that's understandable.
And like, well, but cheating is like one of my big bona's I think. You know, once you've cheated, you're kind of always like yeah, I said that, so.
Always a cheatah as Rachel Green from Friends would say.
Well, yeah, I just think that, and I just didn't imagine that they would. So even like I can remember when we've just signed the contracts and I've said, look, I'm really worried because I've just watched all this the last season. There isn't going to be It's not gonna be like last year, is it. There's not going to be all that and like the executive producers like.
No, no, no, we found someone.
He's like, you're gonna love him, and just like, Okay, I believe us, you know so. And the thing is like, you tell me something, I believe you, yes, because I wouldn't tell you a lie. So I don't think people lied.
Yeah, it was good to take people on face value. It's disappointing when people use that to their advantage. I suppose that being said, there was a lot of talk online that Steve was, you know, the term gas lighting you because he'd make up sort of excuses, oh, you know, you're not tall enough and all that kind of thing. But then lead you on did you feel that did you think he was gas lighting.
You at the time. I did really feel like that. Yes, I've really felt like that because there were two different situations on camera off camera, and then when that whole thing happened at the beach, it didn't really work out like that, but it was and then like the next couple of days it just kind of wow, And that was a producer instigated thing. So I think the day at the beach, because we were like, we were quite
close Steve and I like we were friendly. Yeah, we had lots of arguments, like we'd argue, but we'd argue over him closing the door, and then I'd argue with him because he shut because he opened the door, like, you know, whichever, why did you shut it? Why did you open it? Like, you know, just stupid. And like if you saw our home videos, which one day I hope I release, they're actually quite funny because they're really
just yeah, stupid. But it was we weren't quite comfortable, and that day I think they picked that particular day because you know, I had bought him breakfast as a surprise, and he's so overwhelmed with happiness. And then the producer said, I think this is the day that you need to
tell her that you're not attracted to it. So and he was like the whole time, and he's trying to say stuff to me, but they don't let you talk, so he's trying to give me any warning signs and and but we've got when miked up, we can't really talk, and he's just saying, don't believe it, don't believe it, don't say this, you know, and he's like trying to give me signs. And we sit down and then I
just and he goes, yeah, I'm not feeling attraction. I say, okay anyway, and then they're just like, how do you feel about that? I'm just like, it's all right, It's okay. What do we do? He's not attracted? And then we left like that. We actually left laughing and left the beach and we didn't have a fight. I wasn't upset.
We got back to the unit and no one's allowed to come over, but that night we got people come over for a cup of tea and juices, come in and have a chat, and then all of a sudden, the conversation comes up to, oh, yeah, like Steve's been telling us this all the time, and that's why it comes out like, you know, why has he been telling everyone for the last six weeks and he hasn't told me? But in reality, like when I watched the series, he'd never said it into the screen, but I'd been told
that he had been saying it the whole time. And so then you know, like we were we were fine, like up until everyone left that night, and like we weren't allowed to have visitors, but we did, and they've said that and they've made it really clear. So was that planned. I don't know you would have.
Been thinking it was like the Elizabeth Sam situation where Sam was just bagging her out the whole time, and then it came as a shot. Because I remember hearing your reaction and I was I thought to myself, I wonder if she's being told differently that because it was
clear that Steve wasn't saying that at all. Yeah, and it would be like an embarrassing sort of you know, you feel a bit betrayed, whereas it's not like you I said about the comment, it's about the betrayal itself, but this didn't actually.
Happen, and that's what That's what I was saying. I was just like, everyone's like, what's the betrayal? What's the betrayal? I was just like, okay, do you know, like because when we left that day, I was just like yeah. And like my producer's like, so you're okay with that? I said, yeah, worry what's wrong with that? Like of course we can't just like each other, like you know, it's fine, and like I'm not attracted to him either, so you know, it doesn't matter, Like it really didn't matter,
So it's manipulated. What was that it got a reaction.
I got good TV.
They did their job.
And the thing is, like I think Steve got ripped for that because like you know, saying that to me, But there was such a process to get to that. Actually, like that was like that was good editing.
It was because I really enjoyed because you talked about it that you would fight just petty things that everyone fights about with Steve, and I really enjoyed the friendship that formed. Are you guys still friends now or is it kind of since filming stopped, it sort of hard to catch up.
Oh so like during like once we were like friends, like after the reunion, we started talking and it was and it was fine. But then once that that actual episode aired, that kind of like really hit me and and I just like I just couldn't be friends. I couldn't talk to him, and yeah, I kind of felt really betrayed and I kind of blamed Steve about it as well. And yeah, so we've recently started just messaging and yeah, and I think that we will like be
like like friends. There will be some sort of friendship, but yeah, like not super close or anything like that, but just the same as anyone else on the show. But it's a shame to not be friends definitely, like you know, because out of everyone, we're probably the best friends ever. Like, we did have a lot of fun and we just did.
Laugh a lot.
Yeah, so you could tell that we didn't know, but we didn't know each other.
You mentioned previously at the beach scene and how that was a little bit manipulated. Were there any other huge moments that happened on Maths that didn't make it on air that you can tell us about.
Oh, well, I think that everyone knows about the dinner party, Like, not the dinner party, the girls night that was horrific. So that's been talked about. That's probably the most disturbing part. And I can understand why they didn't play it, but it doesn't give Haley a really good read.
So for those who haven't heard, what I suppose, what can you say happened during that?
Go?
Yeah, like that's that was like.
That was the worst part of the So I'd never seen the girls be mean to each other really, So even when Haley and Stacey were arguing about Michael, there was never really anything quite like vindictive or really like mean when they were talking. It was that girl's night, and I just think that they just wanted to add a little bit extra and I think Lizzie knew the recipe and and basically she like, yeah, she ended up breaking a glass and I think she went for Hailey's throat.
They had to get they had to pull her out. So yeah, it was really it was traumatic for everyone that witnessed it. But it wasn't just that I just like, and this is one of the things that I had a problem with. Everyone says that, d why do you dislike Lizzie. I don't dislike her. I just don't like the way that she behaved and a few things that she did.
So that Girl's Night, there was a few people that had come back, like Poppy, and she was already quite distraught coming back, and Lizzie had given her a really hard time. Puppy left crying like within three minutes for the Lizzie questioning it. And then then Vanessa comes in, who's also traumatized, and Lizzie's like going for her, and I'm just like, you better stop, girl, because this is not cool. You cannot do that. You don't know these people.
And anyway, so and then she starts on Hailey and and then eventually they pulled me out because I kept putting out fires, like I was trying to put out the fire between Haley and Stacy as well. But I think that other people had other agendas and the big statement would have been like, yeah, Lizzy going all out.
Why do you think it wasn't shown? Do you think it was just too out there to show? Or do you think that the producers were favoring some of the maths you know, you perhaps.
Well, we all watched it, so with the reunion, when we sat down with the experts, we all got to watch it, and our reaction was like it was distressing. So I know from that night, like Connie and Casey, they were very traumatized because of the violence, and and Hayley was not violent at all, like you know, she was like you know, she didn't know what was coming for her, and they were quite traumatized, and and they're
both lovely girls. And I think that the other girls, like Vanessa and Poppy, like they didn't expect to be attacked, like, you know, by someone that they've never met before. And yeah, it it didn't look good because it wasn't good. It wasn't actually good, like you know, but then they still ended up showing Stacy throwing the bread, so which I don't understand why they showed Stacy throwing something, but they didn't show Lizzie's or all of her actions.
But yeah, it's anyway, it didn't fit with the storyline that they were producing because I feel like, I mean, this is just my opinion from watching the show, but it seemed like they brought Lizzie into kind of do a little bit maybe of their work stir things up a bit that maybe they were pushing her too hard and she kind of completely overreacted, but they mld look bad on them. They wanted a love story with Lizzie, That's what they wanted.
Yeah, and they also wanted her to be like complete and other girl code and that from that night, I think that they tried to make her out as she was the one sticking up for Stacy and everything like that. I just it wasn't like that. It just like, yeah, it was totally the opposite. And that's you know, when you don't and not up holding girl code, you know that's bad. But when you're actually physically attacking someone, no,
that's wrong and there is nothing acceptable in that. And I think she knew that that was coming up, and she did a public apology because it was going to come out, and then then they didn't end up showing it, but we all saw it sitting on the couch and we were just mortified. The boys were just like, these are animals, like you are actual animals. It was fairer and like, yeah, you must be brought up in a particular mindset to feel that that you have to attack
another person. And God, you're taking on Haley. She's like she's like like eighty kilos of muscle or whatever, like you know, and she's pretty tall, Like you're not.
Going to take her on, Like I don't know anyway, And.
Yeah, and it wouldn't have fit Lizzie's nice school agenda and like her love story and yeah, stuff like that.
Being a mum because you've got is it eighteen and twenty year old? Was it hard to sit there because obviously you've you know, you've got kids, you're a teacher, and these people are maybe they're older, but similar ages. It would have been really hard to just be like
just cut the crap, you know. And I think that's what we liked about you that you did in your way call people out, but it was in such a lovable way that it was kind of like, you know, your mum telling you to stop being so ridiculous.
And I think that's what people probably found, like you know what, everyone was like would listen, like I kind of say, you know what, that's not cool or whatever.
And yeah, and I think that.
Once Stacy yelled back at me, and everyone's like, oh, Stacy yelled at her, it's like and it was it was really quite funny actually, but it was like and everyone was like, oh my god, yelled at me. Show it's like kneeling at your mom. It was always funny.
But yeah, I think that there was a lot of bullshit that you just didn't want to tolerate and you're just like, for Fox's sake, oh sorry, I'm not that's just to stop this and just like you know, act like a freaking human like the toothbrush thing, like seriously, gosh, do what you would do on the outside. But it is it's a different mentality you're in, like this situation. You don't know what you're going to do, so just
try to be the person you are. But yeah, like I think sometimes because I've been a month for so long and a teacher, it just like would it's still overtake.
Yeah, it seems like that sort of toilet you know, putting someone's toilet. Sorry, if someone's putting someone's toothbrush in the toilet. That seems so juvenile and like a prank you pull at school, not on national TV in front of everyone.
It was just I don't think he did it like for that reason. And yeah, and like to and in Dave's defense, like he had probably like he was suffering with his own bits as well. So you know, you don't know what you're going to do in a particular situation. And like when I can remember sitting there like three or four weeks in and thinking I can't do this, and like you know, and that you think, why did they cheat in the last seasons? Yeah, I know why
they cheated because they're bored. They're actually like just like you know, you'd actually do anything just to make your life a little bit more interesting, or because you don't think about it being on TV and how it's going to look like to everyone, because you kind of forget you're filming a show you really do, and yeah, you just kind.
Of want to like, oh, I don't know.
But Dave, yeah, he made a really bad mistake, but I think he's apologized that he feels really bad about it. And yeah, but you just don't know what you're going to do in that sort of situation.
Not talking about being bored. I don't know if this played into the boredom. But you mentioned on your Instagram that you and some of the other contestants had a relationship with the paparazzi, which I was so interested in because you know, we obviously see lots of photos of you guys up on sort of Daily Mail and other online sites. Can you explain to us how does that relationship start and what is the relationship between you guys?
Oh so the first day, the first day they follow.
You and it's fear so.
And I don't know if you like you you don't. I don't know if it's called a relationship yet, but well it is. Everything's a relationship. So you basically start out and you can react in certain different ways to these people because they know who you are. I don't know how they know you who you are, but they do. And Daily Mail was in the same street that we were actually living in. Oh well, so, like was that like,
how convenient. Yeah, that was really convenient. And so the guy from Daily Mail he had to go past our building to get lunch, so he'd have his camera with him and just take photos anyway, So like the first that your producers don't trust him, don't trust them, and we hide and do stuff, and then eventually, like you
might say hello, and then you see them. They followed you to like out on your day off, and you're like you might have a conversation, you might meet their friends, and then basically, yeah, like some people never become friendly with them, and some people do.
So I feel like it pays to be friends with them because the three of us used to work in TV media and you're always friends with the camera guy because they're going to shoot you and either they're going to make you look good or look bad. It's always good to have them as a friend. You don't want those like double chin angles.
But but well, I don't know. I really didn't think about it. And then like after a while, like you see them every day, like they're there every day, and he kind of just asked them how are they and you start this relationship and then yeah, I don't know. It is like and then and you have the opportunity to talk about stuff that's really bothering you because you know you want it. Like I went through phases where I wanted to get out of the experiment and all I want to do is get out, and there's no
one you can talk to. You can't talk to the psyche because then she's telling the producers and you can't talk to anyone. And you know, you might say to like you talk to you don't really trust your partners to tell them, and you talk to a journalist and then like, yeah, there's a story.
Yeah, the psyche is not like they actually have a relationship with the producers. It's not someone independent. That's that's really disturbing.
Wow, yeah, what they have the math psyche that's there so for all the dinner parties for like for us, but any information that you do share that can be shared with the producers as well. Yeah yeah that's so. Yeah. And but I went to their doctor and even that was shit, so to their GP. So and it's just like I don't know if that yeah, because I really
wanted to go see a different doctor. But anyway, that's what happened, and you don't realize until a little while, and I didn't even realize the babysitter was a producer and like taking notes from all the things we were telling them. So wow. Yeah, So like I'm probably naive to this stuff anyway.
But if you've never been on who in their life? You know, if I went on a reality show, I might be a bit more cluey having worked in TV before. But if you're a tea, I can imagine my mum going on and she'd have no idea. There's so many people that just haven't dealt with TV producers before. How are you to know what's going on?
I know? And the thing is like you just think, well, wow, like you know, I'm talking to them, and then and then, like you know, I was missing my family so much, and I kept talking about that, and then all of a sudden, I was allowed a weekend to go home, and I'm just like, oh, and then I said, oh, why am I let to go home? And they said, oh, Teresa said you were struggling. Okay, all right, we can use this to our advantage now. So that was maybe something that you'd kind of people worked out.
Yeah, there's talking about the media. There's been a lot of articles recently popping up, and they all seem to revolve around rumors about work you've had done in your appearance, and as women, that kind of does tend to annoy us, that it's just focusing on your appearance. But I did love your honesty how you came out and said you'd had a few was it some fillers and things like that because you wanted to do it.
It's botox? Yeah, so yeah, no, And I said, if I have more, like I'll take you on the journey, like you can see the whole process. But yeah, because I think that with my host, I don't know, like someone I had doesn't really like me or they know, because yeah, I took that photo with the filter and I was lying down and apparently I look like an alien.
And feeling you were just lying on your back.
That was, and yeah, and like it's blanked out all my things, so all my features. But anyway, I thought people use Instagram filters and use filters.
Who doesn't do that to their photos?
Well, I'm really conscious of it now, I believe me. I love it.
I love that you said that. They because you I think it was a Daily Mail article you shared and they had some experts say that you altered this, and you'd altered that, but I loved your honesty that the reason you'd altered it was because he had was it bits of white on your black hat, like bits of.
Yeah, it's like, I don't know, yeah, yeah, I've made a huge mistake because I have, like you know now, like washing my hat with a white town and they're not allowed to do that, Like that's that's something your mom teaches you the first I don't know, she teaches you pretty much straight up. I don't watch anything in her light house anyway. But then I did and I wore that hat and then I just colored it in and the coloring in is even really bad. So I
don't know if you've seen it. And then then I get another another I don't know why, Yeah, I don't know what the go is. But then I get another story to say, oh, there's a rare photo of her unfiltered selfie with no makeup, just like gosh, I wear no makeup every day. Yeah, it was on TV that I did, So I don't know. Yeah, but I've had yeah, I have had photos and I probably will get lots more because I think it's great and yeah, and I've had.
I can't believe you're turning fifty this year because you look bloody amazing before after whenever, like you know, before the botox, after the botox, you were looking so good.
Yeah, I'm so MRD.
I remember when you're on the show, like the first episode, I was like, I'm not just saying this, you look stunning like you absolutely. I think it's just also the confidence that you had. And I think what people are forgetting is as Amy said, people are surprised that you actually are turning fifty. And you know, if some people want to use two plastic, sorry, some people want to use feelers, other people don't. But I suppose it's not like it's a twenty year old that's going out and
getting feelers, if you know what I mean. Like it's something that you should be allowed to do if you want to.
But like if my daughter wanted to get fellers, like i'd letter, like you know, and the thing with the permanent tattoos, Like we both got our eyebrows done because like she's got alopecia so and I don't have very much eyebrows either, So yeah, we got that done for medical reasons. But then getting the rest done is just convenience. So yeah, and it just works out quite like it's easy. I wake up and I go to work like that. Some days I comb my hair and other days I don't.
But yeah, and I think that even if you are twenty or whatever and you want just a little bit of enhancement, like, just do it if you want to. It doesn't mean you don't love yourself. Like I'm not changing my nose entirely, or I'm not changing like the shape of my eyes. I'm just doing something that makes me feel a tiny bit better, just like my hair. Like I've had blonde hair, I've had black hair, I've had purple hair, I've had every color hair, Like, how
is that different to my face? That's the thing.
If there's something that bothers you, sometimes it's best just to go, Okay, well I really don't like this, and if this makes me feel a little bit better. I think it's important if the motivation's coming from you. It would be different if you were doing something to impress someone else. But I think if it's you, you know you're helping yourself, and that's something that you really want to do, then why not, Like a who are we to tell you what to do with yourself.
Yeah, that's I think. I think everyone has their own free will and they can do whatever they want. But I know my friend is sick of defending me, like why is she wearing makeup at the beach? Why? It's just like, that's why I put the picture. I wake up like that, I look like I've got makeup, and if it wasn't COVID, I have my lashes done, so yeah, so then I kind of yeah anyway, but it's and I'm not saying that I look gorgeous when I wake up like I feel gorgeous, because that's the best version
of me right now. But yeah, I'm just showing you exactly what I look like.
Well, we touched on that you're turning fifty later this year, which, as we said, we're surprised about. And while you're already, in our eyes, very fit and fabulous, we understand that you have some big fitness goals that you're wanting to achieve by your birthday.
Yes. So I've actually gained quite a bit of weight when I was on Maths. So I gained something like thirteen kilos during Maths.
You couldn't tell you I didn't because I did see the file that you put on your Instagram as a comparison, but when you're watching, like you definitely don't pick up on that.
Oh really, I think I can see it when I've the Hen's Night and then like the final vows, Like I think I've got like an additional neck.
Anyway, that's probably just use you know, when you notice yourself. But so many people do say they've put on weight being on reality shows. On The Bachelor, I know Sam Frost put and I think she put on about ten kilos is it? What do you think it is that? Are you eating to comfort yourself because you're away from family or what do you think it is?
Yeah, so you're eating to comfort you're also eating like at odd times, and you're eating whenever you can or when they give you food, and you'll eat whatever they
give you, and you're not in your routine. And I know everyone says, oh, you had a gym and stuff like that, but we can't use the gym if somebody else is using it, and so like, yeah, there's not enough time for everyone to go to the gym separately or yeah, so we didn't get our normal routines where we exercise in the morning and do like those everyday things that you would normally do. And yeah, I was
quite depressed, I can tell you, like quite honestly. I got to a really really low place and I started eating Haig's chocolate like I was addicted to Haiges's chocolate.
Different so good.
Oh, I can't the Academia crunch bar like you can't even I can't even order it online.
Like I can't even order it to get.
Here because they don't they won't ship it online. It's just like we don't have stores. It's good because I'm on this diet.
So yeah, because from where we are from South Australia. I was going to say, we'll have to send you some, but maybe not if it's not going to help you.
Oh well, you can't send me some like I'd really love it treat Yeah no, yeah, because I fell in love with those bars. I think I'd spend about thirty dollars.
A day of us. Yeah.
No, I'm joking, but you do. And the thing is you're like your eating is so sporadic, and you're eating like a pie at twelve or one o'clock at night and you don't normally do that.
I can imagine getting like macas on the way home from the dinner party. You know those dinner parties that drag on and you're hungry by the time you leave because it seems so long ago. I feel like that would probably be an occurrence on maths.
Yes, yeah, And if somebody got maccas and you didn't, and then you just like try to steal a chip or a chicken nugget or whatever. And I hate chicken nuggets, but you know why I started eating them.
So you can't just have one macas chip like you you can't stop it.
But it's just like that. And yeah, I think even Hayley said she put on quite a bit of weight. I think that a few of us did. Well.
We were talking before briefly about how the fact that you have three sisters, and we were kind of bonding about the fact that, you know, I think anyone who has sisters knows what it's like. Because my boyfriend gets He's always like, what are you guys always arguing and stuff. I'm like, that's just normal.
It is. Well, we're not arguing, we're having a discussion, right.
So you were saying you've got a younger sister, and then is it are you in the middle or what's it like?
So there's the three of us that like, there's one a year older than me and one that's a year younger than me. So I am the middle of the first three. And then we've got a little sister that's fourteen or fifteen years younger. Wow, and she has all the answers, so she knows everything. You just ask her listeners everything. So yeah, I should always admit it, so
you always have one. We have spelling tests, like who does like like family dinner, Like we'll sit there and say, okay, we're doing spelling tests now because we want to be the best.
Is it kind of like spelling b when you can ask for the origin of the word or are you just given the word?
No, it's just because Melissa thinks she's a really good speller, and so do I. So yeah, And then I got my older sister who's very caring and just yeah. And then the younger sister signed Sancha, and then Betty she's basically she just would give you her heart if she could, should do anything for you.
So yeah, and what did they all think about you going on the show? Because it kind of seems like when you went home, and that was sort of when you had that moment where you're like, hang on, I think Steve's gaslighting me. Were they helpful in you making your decision?
Yeah, So like my mom and my mom's reaction, like you know, when I told everyone, my mom had no idea, and she thought it was quite genuine. She'd never watch the show. Neither had my sisters, so that was a real genuine reaction. And they're just like, yeah, so excited getting married. And I think the type of people were like is because like my mum always told us to
be nice, be nice, always be nice. If you're not nice, then don't be not don't do anything other anyway, And it was like, I think it was more my fan my friends telling me that I wasn't acting the same. But yeah, and then my sister and my daughter is. My daughter's very pragmatic. She's like so like, yeah, this doesn't seem right, No, that's wrong. So yeah, she's black and white and just like yeah, tells you. And she's quite smart, that would be helpful. Yeah, she's really good.
And Betty's kind of no nonsense as well, and they just said yeah, doesn't sound right, doesn't Yeah, if it like walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck. I don't know so, And that was really like you could see like I don't I can't act like that. I it was so genuine my reaction. It was it's like you see the light bulb just go off. Yeah, in my head at that moment, it's like, I don't know so. Yeah.
Well, I think that's what we love so much about you, how genuine you are. And I suppose we got I know, you've got to get back to your police recruit. So we'll probably wrap it up now. But thank you so much for joining us. We love chatting. I feel like we could chat all day.
Yeah, thank you so much, girls, I really really appreciate it.
Well, thank you so much for listening to another episode of Outspoken. We just wanted to remind you that Outspoken listeners can receive ten percent off at checkout on JS
Health when purchasing JS Health vitamins. Now, if you want to see how amazing they are, you'll have to go to our Instagram page which is at Outspoken Underscore the Underscore Podcast because we've put up some photos of Sophie's hair and she has been using the vitamin since November and absolutely loves them, so you have to see what it's done for her hair. So just reminding you the
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