‘What will be, will be:’ Olympia Valance reveals IVF struggle as she puts her fertility journey on hold

Olympia Valance put her dream to become a mum on hold, signed up to a reality show and took on her biggest challenge yet in an effort to prove what she is capable of and fall back in love with her body.

Thomas Bellchambers and Olympia Valance. Picture: Instagram

Olympia Valance has told of her heartbreaking IVF journey, saying she has put her quest to become a mum on hold.

Valance and her husband, former Essendon star, Thomas Bellchambers, have been open about their desire to start a family and the challenges they have faced including miscarriage.

Needing to fall back in love with her body and rediscover her fun self, Valance has climbed a mountain – professionally and personally – in the extreme reality show The Summit.

Valance, the star of Neighbours, Dancing With The Stars, Heat, Surviving Summer and Playing For Keeps, said after an emotional IVF journey she needed to take a break and step outside of her regular life.

Couple Thomas Bellchambers and Olympia Valance are taking on new challenges. Picture: Fiona Hamilton

Olympia Valance is returning to her fun self. Picture: Jason Edwards

“As hard and challenging as it was, it was probably the best thing I have ever done,” she said.

“I felt like mentally and physically it was exactly what I needed. I also just wanted to prove to myself what my body and my mind was actually capable of. I surprised myself every day.

“There were quite a few of those moments, those ‘wow this bod can do a lot more than I gave it credit for’ moments, probably because there have been so many years (on her fertility journey) of being so disappointed with my body.”

Valance has frozen her eggs and in July last year she revealed she had started IVF.

She is now taking a break from IVF.

“I guess after The Summit I just realised we have been doing this for so many years now and I did not want to focus on it so much, it was taking over my life,” she said.

Olympia Valance is taking part in the reality show The Summit. Picture: Supplied

Olympia Valance climbs a private and professional mountain on The Summit. Picture: Supplied

“I am 31, I don’t want it to take over my life. I want to go back to being me, this fun person. I know what will be, will be and I am totally OK with that.

“I think there should be more conversations about fertility.

“I think women should be freezing their eggs.

“I have options and I would like that feeling for a lot more younger women.”

Valance has taken on her greatest challenge in signing up for the show which sees 14 people try to reach an icy peak on New Zealand’s South Island while vying for a share of one million dollars.

The Summit launches on Sunday on Nine.

Olympia Valance hopes the extreme challenges in The Summit will help her deal with her fertility experience. Picture: Supplied

Olympia Valance is one of Melbourne’s most popular actors. Picture: Jason Edwards

Valance said she was lucky to have the support of her husband, Thomas.

“We have spent time apart but we have always had a phone and been able to get in contact with each other,” she said.

“During the filming of The Summit, this was the first time in five years that we both had zero contact with each other.

“He was sitting around worried about me and worried that I was OK and I was off climbing a mountain.”