‘I’m comfortable in my own skin’: Nat Bassingthwaighte stronger and happier than ever

After a difficult year, including a divorce and navigating life with a new female partner, Nat Bassingthwaighte is determined to seize every opportunity, including an unlikely new challenge with her sister Mel.

Nat Bassingthwaighte is on top of the world after a hard 12 months. Divorce, navigating life with a new female partner, and harsh public opinion. For someone who has struggled with depression for almost three decades, it’s been a lot, to say the least.

But today, she’s happier than she’s ever been. She’s pushing herself, she’s growing – and she may well just win Amazing Race Australia’s new celebrity edition.

“It’s not even just the last year, but I think in life, we go through so much – in relationships, in friendships, in just growing as a human and as a person – and to be able to come out the other side and love who you are and be proud of who you are is something that not everyone gets or deep-dives into,” the 48-year-old mother of two tells Insider.

“I’ve done a lot of soul-searching and a lot of deep-diving over the last little while – and I’m still doing it, I’m not stopping. I still have my regular therapy sessions and try and make sense of this crazy mind of mine and the life that I’ve had, and I will keep doing that.

Nat Bassingthwaighte is joining The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition, starting on Monday, September 9 on 10 and 10 Play.

Nat Bassingthwaighte will form a team with her sister Mel Sheldrick for The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition.

“That’s really important to me – to be the best partner, to be the best mother, to be the best friend, and just to be good for myself.”

Breaking off her 12-year marriage to former Rogue Traders bandmate Cameron McGlinchey wasn’t easy. Helping kids Harper, 14, and Hendrix, 11, through their new normal wasn’t easy. Neither was going public with her new love, Pip Loth. But to stand where she stands today, it was all worth it.

“I mean, it can definitely be scary, really breaking down some of those old patterns and traumas and delving into it – but at the same time, it can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling,” she says.

Part of her new life is saying “yes” to new experiences – like trying her hand at the celebrity edition of Amazing Race Australia with one of her three sisters, Melinda Sheldrick – chosen because – well, Sheldrick is such a diehard fan of the show that Bassingthwaighte would never have lived it down if she didn’t.

“It was the most unbelievable experience,” she says. “I didn’t really know what to expect, to be honest, and it blew my mind. It was definitely way harder than I thought it would be, but it was also so rewarding. And just the bond … my sister and I’ve always had such a beautiful bond, but it just took it to a whole other level, so it was just such a blessing.”

The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition 2024 cast.

Because growing up together is one thing, but spending extended bouts of time together as adults – while travelling and overcoming challenge after challenge – is another thing entirely.

“Life gets busy, especially with children, and you’re running around, you’re trying to balance work and family and all of that – you do miss out on those really special opportunities,” Bassingthwaighte says.

“We’ve got this one big, beautiful life, and to be able to spend that quality time together, we learnt a lot about each other, even during the race, that we sort of didn’t really understand.

“You just bond so much more, and you’re travelling together, you’re pushing each other, you’re picking each other up when you’re down – it was the most beautiful experience for both of us.”

Bassingthwaighte won’t divulge much about where they went or what they did, because, sometimes, it’s all about the beauty of surprise, she laughs.

“But to be able to go to different countries and the language barrier, and using your best physical hand gestures to try and explain where you’re going, was a bit of a challenge, I won’t lie,” she says.

“Just getting out of our comfort zones and embracing whatever the Amazing Race had to offer was something. I can tell you, there’s some challenges this season that are just out of this world.

“Some things you think will be a piece of cake aren’t, because you’re so tired, you hardly eat throughout the day, you haven’t had enough water – and you’re running on adrenaline,” Bassingthwaighte says.

Nat Bassingthwaighte and partner Pip Loth. Nat announced she was in a same-sex relationship after splitting from ex-husband, Rogue Traders bandmate Cameron McGlinchey.

Nat Bassingthwaighte with daughter Harper McGlinchey. Picture: James Weir/news.com.au

“The amount of times I said to my sister ‘Oh my god, I’m so psycho’. But it’s just full steam ahead, adrenaline.”

Adrenaline aside, Bassingthwaighte wanted to win.

“I’m really competitive,” she says. “But I learnt a lot. I knew my sister was always sensitive, because I’m a sensitive person, too, but just the space and time and care that we both need in different scenarios, and just that love and support that one minute I would be really flat, or my sister would pick me up, and the next minute, she’d be really emotional, and I’d be like ‘You’ve got this, you can do this’.

“My sister is terrified of heights, and there was some stuff in there that really pushed her to her limits, so just holding a space for each other and that being the most important thing.”

It’s been so under wraps that their other two sisters, their parents and kids still don’t know anything about where they went or what they did, so they will all be watching as a family when it screens on Channel 10 next week. The Bassingthwaighte sisters – Melinda and twins Nicky and Lisa – grew up in the family’s Mount Warrigal home with mum Betty and dad Michael.

“The funny thing is, I’m terrible at this stuff – a lot of the times I go ‘Yeah, sure, let’s do it’, and then I’m like ‘Oh, I don’t even know what I’ve signed up for’,” she says. “But apparently we only have one life, so if these awesome opportunities come my way, I’ll say ‘yes’.

“But look, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been asked a lot of times about other different shows, and I wasn’t up for them – I know my limits, as well.

“But this one just seemed like a really positive show, and I think TV needs positive, family-friendly shows that you can watch with your loved ones, friends, kids, and have a laugh. It’s also a really beautiful emotional journey for people, it really can be. There’s nothing more beautiful than watching feel-good TV, and we need it more than ever at the moment, that’s for sure.”

Nat Bassingthwaighte, with son Hendrix and daughter Harper, says TV needs positive, family-friendly shows.

The former Neighbours star and Rogue Traders frontwoman appears in new film Take My Hand, playing the part of Rachel, sister of Radha Mitchell’s character, Laura. It is in cinemas now.

“I keep doing some crazy things,” Bassingthwaighte says.

“I just launched a film, Take My hand, which is such a beautiful movie.

“I just filmed a zombie movie, which was so much fun. It’s called Zombie Plane, and it’s with Vanilla Ice, Sophie Monk, Amy Shark – that was the funniest thing I’ve ever done in my life, so to watch that will be a hoot. With Rogue Traders, this is the 20th anniversary of Voodoo Child, so I just feel like this year is amazing. I feel like I’m going from strength to strength this year. I’m in a really good space.”

The one-time So You Think You Can Dance Australia host, Gold Logie nominee and X-Factor Australia judge and mentor also appeared in Baz Luhrmann’s epic biographical film Elvis, about the king of rock’n’roll.

On stage, she’s tackled shows such as Grease, Rent, Footloose and Chicago, and when it comes to music, she enjoyed global success with Rogue Traders, achieving multi-platinum sales across two albums, as well as two APRA nominations, an MTV award win and seven ARIA nominations.

“I actually don’t think I could do one thing,” she says of her love for film, TV, the stage and music.

Nat Bassingthwaighte is all smiles, revealing she is “in a really good space”. You can catch her in the film Take My Hand that is in cinemas now

“I think that’s who I am. I’m a sensitive, creative person, so I want to constantly evolve and be a better human for myself and for everyone around me.

“I want to challenge myself and work with amazing people. I want to do things that I’ve never done in my life – like the Amazing Race. I want to live this life to the fullest.”

So much so that Bassingthwaighte has made a decision to write a book with Pantera Publishing – something she previously been asked to do, and declined.

“I did get asked to write a book a few years ago, and I was like ‘Oh, god no, I don’t want everyone knowing my deepest, darkest secrets’,” she says.

“And I feel, to be honest, so comfortable in my own skin now, that I’m ready. I’ve been writing furiously and, wow, I feel really excited about that. So, I’m in that deep-dive, too, which is often confronting as well as therapeutic.

“It’s a lot, at times, but being vulnerable has to take courage, and it can hurt and it can be torturous at times but, at the same time, you are evolving as a person, helping yourself and then, in turn, helping others.”

That’s also why they’ve chosen to raise money for the Black Dog Institute. The winner of The Amazing Race gets $100,000 for their charity, and it’s a cause close to the sisters’ hearts.

“Black Dog Institute has been a part of my life for many years, from when I first found out that I had depression in my early 20s,” she says.

“They came back into my life recently when I filmed a show, Space 22, on ABC.

“They are one of the best research institutes in Australia for mental health and help people who have mental health struggles, but also families of people who have mental health struggles.

“Suicide prevention is at the heart of everything that they do, which is why my sister and I wanted to shine light on everything they do.”

Bassingthwaighte lived in Ewingsdale, near Byron Bay, after moving from Melbourne’s Brighton – and, like all good mums, she loves nothing more than embarrassing her kids.

“They’re either proud or embarrassed – probably a bit of both,” she says of being on the show.

“There’s a bit of both – it’s such a privilege to embarrass my children,” ,” she laughs.

“I used to get embarrassed by things that my Mum did, and now I’m like ‘Oh my gosh, I get the opportunity to embarrass you’, and that feels really fun.

“I just enjoy it in a really terrible way,” she says.

That’s life – and it’s a life Bassingthwaighte’s happy with. Happier than ever, actually.

“I feel really amazing,” she says.

“I feel really comfortable in my own skin.

“And I feel joy and I feel grateful.

“And just to be in that space is unbelievable – it’s awesome.”

The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition starts on Monday, September 9, on 10 and 10 Play.