As she appears from behind a makeshift change-room in the corner of the photo studio in a plum-coloured activewear set, Edwina Bartholomew is feeling a tad self-conscious.
“I feel like a total fraud having a photo taken in my activewear, because when I wear this sort of stuff, I’m literally going to the shops and buying the groceries, not actually doing a gym class,” she says.
Emerging from the all-consuming trenches of early motherhood – daughter Molly is four; son Tom is two – the 40-year-old Sunrise newsreader, affectionately known to all as Eddy, says she’s only recently made more of a conscious return to a healthier lifestyle. “The past four years have been a total blur,” she laughs. “But, lately, I’m coming back into… I wouldn’t call it self-care – maybe self-preservation!”
Role modelling body positivity
Quick to point out her motivation has nothing to do with any attempt to ‘bounce back’ to a pre-baby body, Edwina couldn’t give a hoot about any societal expectations to look a certain way.
“I. Just. Don’t. Care,” she stresses. “It sounds clichéd, but I’m completely in awe of what my body has achieved in the past few years in terms of having two babies. I’m also so conscious of the message I send to my daughter about being proud of her body and having her own identity.
“Like, she leaves the house in the craziest outfits. She’s at that age where you just have no comprehension of anyone else’s opinion of you, which is so wonderful. I’ve learnt so much from that, and I want to give so much of that back to her.
So, I’m so conscious of what I portray to her in terms of how I feel about myself. And that goes with ageing, with weight, with shape… I’m very aware of the language I use, what she sees and how I behave in front of her.”
Fitness to feel good
Eddy also has a newfound perspective on her approach to physical activity and body image.
“It was something I heard [body positivity activist] Taryn Brumfitt say about exercising… not for a number on the scales or for a look, but just moving to make you feel good, without any intent but movement. That really shifted my perspective because, my whole life, I’ve always had a focus – ‘I’m going to do a half marathon’ or ‘I’m going to do this walk’, or whatever. And never just moving because it’s good for you.”
So, Eddy is moving again now, but “I’m not moving anywhere with pace or purpose!” she laughs. “It’s walking, it’s Pilates, it’s all very gentle. I bought a bike with a bike seat, because my son doesn’t love being in the pram anymore. We’re scootering, we’re at the park, we’re running around the shops… We’re active – but it’s not burpees! It’s whatever the opposite of that is.”
Gaining perspective
Edwina’s motivation towards a healthier lifestyle also stems from husband Neil Varcoe’s battle with chronic fatigue syndrome over the past several years. “I think Neil being sick made me realise that, actually, I’m the glue holding everything together here,” she shares. “So, if I get sick, we’re really screwed. That’s forced me to be more conscious of taking care of myself... although by no means perfect.”
But Edwina says in the past year she’s experienced “a palpable shift” in her mindset and approach to life. “I used to be a complete control freak, wanting everything to be perfect,” she says. “Then Neil got sick and we had kids and suddenly I lost the ability to do that. Initially, it made me really angry and frustrated. Then I decided to just let go. I stopped stressing about all the things I couldn’t change and started just appreciating our beautiful life. As a result, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”
She adds: “You just realise how precious life is, how precious health is. You become a fighter on many fronts for your family, for your husband, for his health and for your own.”
The couple have been open about discussing Neil’s condition, not only to assist others who may have been experiencing the same thing, but also in the hope of finding some answers. “It’s one of those conditions that’s really hard to diagnose and to navigate a path of treatment,” she says. “And through this process of talking about it more openly, you know, different things work for different people. We’ve tried it all. I feel like we’re as close as we’ve ever been to being better.”
Apart together
Of course, one of the lifestyle changes they have – famously – put in place was to make the decision to live in separate houses. Neil (and the family dog) live three hours away at the couple’s New South Wales Central West country property in Carcoar, which the pair are turning into a business, while Edwina lives in the city with the kids through the week while filming Sunrise at the Seven Network’s Sydney studios.
Eddy admits there were many factors that weighed into this massive lifestyle shift, but ensuring Neil’s health and recovery was a major influencer. “We just had to prioritise his health and make sure conditions were optimal for him to be able to sleep and thrive,” she says. “In many ways, it suits him to have the week where he’s focused on his health and preserving his energy. And then on the weekends, he knows we’re all going to be together and he can be entirely devoted to the kids at that time.”
Edwina says she was blown away by the response to her going public with their unconventional living arrangements (the couple had also previously revealed that they slept in separate bedrooms). “I think people were interested in it because it was different. But, honestly, it works for us. Like it may not work for another couple, but it really works for us.”
That doesn’t mean that living apart doesn’t have its downsides, as Edwina is the first to admit. “It’s really challenging for him emotionally being away from the kids. And it’s probably more challenging for me physically being with the kids,” she explains. “We try to make sure we don’t go more than a fortnight without seeing each other. There’s obviously lots of FaceTime calls.” She adds: “It means we lead a very scheduled life. There’s a calendar and we have to stick to it, otherwise it just all falls apart. But that suits me and my personality.”
And it means Edwina’s brand-new outlook of embracing imperfection has come at a very opportune time. “I definitely have a very messy car… a very messy house 60% of the time!” she says. “I don’t feel like I have it all together. But maybe my standards are lower than other people’s. I’m completely fine with the fact that we might have spaghetti bolognese three times a week. Maybe four?”
A live-in nanny is there to assist with those infamous Sunrise early morning starts – the alarm goes off at 3am – and Eddy’s instructions to her are to prioritise the fun. “Like, I don’t really mind if the kids are walking out the door in mismatched outfits or whatever. We’re not trying to maintain a level of perfection and that really helps with that stress level. There’s a lot of stuff I used to care about that I don’t care about anymore. And that’s very freeing.”
Living with purpose
Having first caught the renovating bug when they bought and restored a country property, Warramba, in the New South Wales Greater Blue Mountains Area, Edwina and Neil have really upped the ante on their current project, the purchase of a “rundown guesthouse” in Carcoar that they’ve renamed Saltash Farm and are turning into a boutique hotel.
Pouring their life savings into the venture, Edwina admits they’ve taken a “huge risk” on the massive undertaking, which will include renovating the main guesthouse as well as adding on cabins and a base for the family to stay when they visit.
Still in the planning stages, Eddy is loving this aspect of the build, “something other people would probably hate! I really like the problem-solving aspect of it; it’s a complete obsession.”
She adds that the renovation has also been beneficial for her mental health and resilience over the past few challenging years. “I think it’s been great to have a project, actually. An extra purpose outside of work has really helped.”
Documenting their progress on social media (@edwina_b on Instagram) has been a great way for Edwina to show this different side of herself to the many fans who have grown up with her over the 20 years she has been on Sunrise.
“It’s been awesome to have people who’ve followed my journey be really excited by this chapter of it,” she says. “I think, for many people, it’s a dream they also share, to possibly one day renovate or buy a country pub and do it up.”
With her husband and kids featuring in the social media posts, it’s another form of storytelling for the well-travelled and articulate journalist. “I just love stories,” she says. “I still write all my own stories and interviews at Sunrise. I love the process of researching them and finding, even with celebrities, that one question they might not have been asked before or taking risks with an interview.”
With such a full and hectic life, the admittedly “driven” Eddy is feeling wonderfully content – for now, anyway. “Pre-kids, I used to be really focused on what’s next, where am I going next, what’s happening now?” she says. “Now I’m just completely happy in the space that I’m in. I love working on Sunrise; it’s such a great mixture of serious news and breaking news and light-hearted elements. I don’t think there’s an environment quite like breakfast TV, to provide all of that. And now, building this business outside of work and making sure it’s a success.”
She pauses for a moment. “But, you know, my career has taken lots of unpredictable avenues. So, who knows?”
In September 2024, after this article was published, Edwina revealed on air that she has chronic myeloid leukaemia and is undergoing treatment. She spoke optimistically about the cancer diagnosis.
"Despite appearances, I feel really positive about it," she said.
"It genuinely is the luckiest unlucky thing to ever happen to me. I’m just beyond grateful I found it."
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