Talitha Cummins: ‘Why I’m moving on to career 2.0’

In the past seven years, former news presenter Talitha Cummins has gone public with her battle with alcohol addiction, lost a high-profile job, questioned her career and started anew as an entrepreneur. Now she reveals why she quit journalism for her next big career move.

“We’re selling joy. In news, you’re selling a certain sense of tragedy sometimes. This is the opposite, and it’s really exciting,” says Cummins of her new career move. Picture: Daniel Nadel for Stellar

Pressure creates diamonds. That’s true for the gems showcased in Talitha Cummins’ jewellery, and it’s true for Cummins herself.

In the past seven years, the former Seven Network news presenter has gone public with her battle with alcohol addiction, raised a young family, lost a high-profile job, questioned her career and started anew as an entrepreneur.

In an uplifting interview with Stellar, Cummins talks about letting go of the past and forging a new identity: “The imposter syndrome isn’t there anymore.”

Easing an audience into their morning routines requires breakfast television hosts to talk about the news of the day and share personal stories with equal relatability.

In 2016, Weekend Sunrise newsreader Talitha Cummins went one further, chronicling her journey to sobriety on an episode of ABC’s Australian Story called The Big Dry.

“I was a lone voice at that time, and there were people – and people close to me – who were questioning what the hell I was doing,” she admits to Stellar about the reactions to her then rare-on-air candour about alcohol addiction.

“But I just felt compelled to tell that story. And I feel – well, people tell me – that it helped them.”

Seven years later, Cummins, 43, still gets emails from people thanking her for pulling back the curtain on such a taboo issue.

“There were times when I doubted myself, but fundamentally part of recovery is helping other people reach sobriety,” she says.

“I felt it was, and I still feel, that it’s almost a duty of mine to keep sharing that story and hopefully helping others.”

“I’m moving on with career 2.0, moving from journalism into a whole new industry, and it couldn’t be further from it,” says Cummins. Picture: Daniel Nadel for Stellar

Without realising it, she was an early adopter of what has been termed as the sober curious – or mindful drinking – movement.

Buoyed by its rise and the emergence of a large like-minded community, Cummins adds, “The best thing about it is that we’re conscious that alcohol has an impact on us, and we’re not just drinking unconsciously and negating any thought about it.”

But difficult as it was to maintain her sobriety, Cummins had to find new reserves of resilience that same year when she alleges she was let go from her Seven Network weekend presenter contract while on maternity leave.

“I took time to process it, and I have to say my confidence hit a low at that point,” she explains.

“But in the few years since, I’ve just found – and I don’t know whether it’s becoming a mother, as well – but you care less about what other people think.”

In the aftermath of leaving the network, Cummins found an upside to losing her job. She could now spend all her energy on her children – son Oliver, now 7, and daughter Riley, now 4 – with fitness entrepreneur Ben Lucas (the pair will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary this week).

She also took stock of her career goals. When she did, she decided she no longer wanted to be in the hustle and bustle of a TV newsroom.

“What I really miss,” she reflects, “is being out on the road with the cameraman and just the random things that you’ll get up to in one day, interviewing people you never thought you’d talk to. I miss those moments.”

Read the full interview with Talitha Cummins in this weekend’s edition of Stellar with Cortnee Vine on the cover.

These days, those kinds of moments happen in Cummins’ new and unexpected field of work. Joining forces with her uncle, Craig Blizzard – who has been in the jewellery business for 50 years – Cummins has launched The Cut Jewellery, a line of bespoke fine jewellery made with lab-grown diamonds.

So far, her excitement for the venture is outweighing any nerves.

“I’ve found that in approaching this, the imposter syndrome isn’t there anymore,” she says. “I’m really hungry and ready to give this a go with full confidence, and it’s a really great place to be, to be honest.”

Creating custom pieces harkens back to Cummins’ childhood on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

“When I was a little girl, I was a really enterprising little thing,” she remembers.

“I used to make bracelets to sell. My dad laughs that one day I was selling my bracelets at school and he asked how much I sold them for, and I said, ‘One dollar’. And then he asked how much they cost to make, and I said, ‘One dollar’. So, I had a bit to learn about economics.”

Now that Cummins is ensconced in her new business, advocating for synthetic gems and designing jewellery have replaced any desire to return to journalism.

“The other night I was looking through a section on my phone of the photos throughout my career,” she explains.

“And I thought, well, this is the end. I’m moving on with career 2.0, moving from journalism into a whole new industry, and it couldn’t be further from it.”

The transition to running her own business has proven to be an adjustment for the whole family.

Having been a stay-at-home mum while Lucas, a former NRL player with the Cronulla Sharks, grew his Sydney fitness studio Flow Athletic, Cummins will now work to make The Cut a success while Lucas picks up the domestic slack.

“The kids keep saying, ‘Why are you doing this?’” Cummins says.

“And I say, ‘Well, I still feel like there are things that I want to achieve.’ I’m actually quite ambitious and quite driven and I needed some way to channel that energy.”

At least she has an eager assistant at home. Cummins chuckles as she reveals that daughter Riley – who is all about sparkles and dressing up – is rather enjoying her new line of work and “loves helping me unwrap the diamonds”.

So far, Cummins’ creations have adorned the likes of TV presenters Sylvia Jeffreys and Edwina Bartholomew at this year’s Logie Awards. And Cummins is relishing helping excited clients to select the perfect engagement ring for their would-be spouses.

“This is what the next part of my life is going to be,” the design director enthuses.

“It’s going to be enjoyable and fun. We’re selling joy. In news, you’re selling a certain sense of tragedy sometimes. This is the opposite, and it’s really exciting.”

Originally published as Talitha Cummins: ‘Why I’m moving on to career 2.0’