Michelle Bridges and date Steve Willis arrive at the 2013 Instyle and Audi Women of Style Awards. Photo: Getty
Michelle Bridges has finally come clean on her relationship with Steve ''Commando'' Willis - admitting they are dating.
Bridges, who announced her split to husband of nine years Bill Moore through Fairfax Media in March, has gone to great lengths to deny she has been dating her The Biggest Loser co-star in the past few weeks - insisting they were merely ''great friends'' who had ''become even closer'' and ''the constant talk implying there is something more between us just makes an already difficult and emotional time for all of us even harder''.
But today, the 43-year-old-told the Kyle and Jackie O show the couple were in fact dating. ''Well we are... ah... yeah... I guess you could kind of say that,'' she told Jackie O.
Steve "Commando" Willis and Michelle Bridges. Photo: Supplied
It was something that was obvious last week when Commando and Bridges made a big deal attending the InStyle Women of Style Awards together in a blatant attempt to garner maximum media coverage - although they bizarrely continued to deny their relationship at the time.
Advertisement
But this morning, with paparazzi presence outside her home making it impossible to continue their blossoming romance quietly, Bridges came clean telling Jackie O: ''I've come out of the closet,'' admitting it had been impossible to conduct their secret relationship.
''I haven't even gone out on a date yet for goodness sakes, how can I when I have ten paparazzi camped out the front of my house...''
The publicity hungry fitness trainer has also done a cover story and photo with a magazine, on stands today, in an attempt to gain back control of her image after it was slandered in Woman's Day this week when Commando's ex partner, Froso, broke her silence under the headline ''Michelle Bridges stole my husband''.
She said she her reason for finally coming clean was she needed ''to be standing my truth,'' especially when she expects exactly that from her clients: ''I'm calling people on their stuff, that's my job,'' she told Who magazine. ''So if I'm asking them to be honest with what's going on in their lives and have straight conversations with their partners and families, then I need to be doing that as well.
''The relationship I have with Steve has definitely got stronger and has developed. But it's in the early, early stages,'' she said.
''I mean, Jesus, you don't go shouting to your friends and colleagues and parents that you've met someone after five minutes. That's why it's been a struggle for me - I don't want to shout it from the rooftops and anyone who has dated would understand that situation. We wanted time to explore how we both feel.''
At the heart of this story is the mother of Ella, 5, and Jack, 19 months, who was left alone on Mother's Day in tears - her friends phoning Fairfax to express their anguish on her behalf.
''Steve and Michelle's affair was a shock to everyone,'' Froso told Woman's Day this week, revealing she learned of the affair after The Biggest Loser wrap party on March 19 when Steve failed to come home.
A showdown followed, according to the magazine, and she asked Steve to pack his bags.
The couple then announced the split although Bridges and Commando still denied they were anything more than friends even though the industry was abuzz with speculation.
The revelation means the gym junkies are now free to explore their relationship.
''I haven't been on a proper date with him yet. But we hope to do that soon... But at least now if things continue to develop and Steve and I go out for a drink or a coffee, I've spoken about what is happening.''
Bridges also goes to pain to stress the timing of their relationship: ''I would definitely like to clarify that we have only had a development in our feeling for each other since we both separated from our respective partners. That for me is really important,'' she said denying there had been an affair.
''We are sorry if we caused any upset to people; it wasn't intentional. It's hard to watch things get thrown around that aren't true.''
She also said telling her ex husband, Bill, who is still her business partner and invested in her brand in every way, was painful and that she had put motherhood on hold because of her career.
''We've had some very tough and respectful conversations... They weren't a breeze.''
But Bridges says she has learned the truth can be painful.
''One thing that has become much more apparent as I've gotten older is that some of the choices you make aren't going to make everybody happy, but they're not going to be happy anyway unless they're getting the best of you.''