Natalie Bassingthwaighte has lived in the full glare of fame for more than two decades – from playing Izzy Hoyland in Neighbours to launching a pop career with Rogue Traders, guiding young performers as a judge on The X Factor Australia and now toughing it out on reality show SAS: Australia vs England.
And Australia was there when Natalie, affectionately known as Nat Bass, announced, in 2023, that she had split from her husband of 12 years, Cameron McGlinchey – with whom she shared two children, Harper and Hendrix – and was now in a same-sex relationship with Pip Loth.
Speaking about her new life with her now-fiancée (the pair announced their engagement in October 2025), Natalie says she’s happier than ever.
“I feel like I’m more myself than I’ve been for a very long time, maybe ever,” Natalie, 50, tells TV WEEK. “I feel so comfortable in my own skin. And that’s exhilarating, to say the least.”
Natalie is one of seven Aussie recruits taking on seven English in SAS: Australia vs England, filmed in North Africa.
At one point in the brutal series the star opens up about the “terrifying” moment she was forced to come out publicly. At the time she was yet to tell her children about her new relationship and was unsure if her life was about to “fall apart”.
Natalie says, while it’s not easy to talk about this period of her life, she’s not “ashamed” of her journey of self-growth.
“Definitely, there was a time during this process when there was shame and that was hard to take,” she says.
“I don’t know if you’re ever ready to be thrown questions (about your private life). It is really confronting, but I feel really proud of myself.
“It doesn’t make it easier but, I think, having the support of family and friends and people who love me is all that matters, at the end of the day.”
Her life since coming out hasn’t been without its challenges. Natalie says she’s faced “bullying and lots of negative talk”.
However, the response from the public has, for the most, been “overwhelmingly positive”.
And Natalie is philosophical about how much her life has changed in the past few years. “We all change and grow and evolve, don’t we?” she says. “Life is a mixed bag, that’s for sure. No one has an easy ride.”
Certainly not Natalie, or her fellow contestants, in the opening minutes of SAS, as they are bundled out of a bus and have bags shoved on their heads in a mock kidnapping situation.
“I just remember my heart pounding so much,” she says. “Every part of your body reacts as though it’s real. It’s a competition between the mind and the body, for sure.”
Given this, why did she say yes to SAS? It turns out that Natalie was asked to do the reality show some years ago but turned it down as her “mental health wasn’t great” back then.
However, when she was approached this time, she felt she was in a much better place. “I’ve just been through a lot the past few years, mentally and spiritually, emotionally. I felt ready,” Natalie explains.
“I was turning 50 last year, and not a spring chicken anymore, but I felt much stronger than I’d been in a very long time. And I wondered how far I could push myself, knowing that.”
Through the SAS experience, Natalie says she bonded with her former Neighbours castmate Ryan Moloney, who she describes as “very supportive and nurturing”, as well as former Married at First Sight star Jessika Power.
“She was a lot sweeter than I’d imagined,” she says of Jess.
She also praised fiancée Pip for being “encouraging” and “supportive” of her decision to go on the reality show. Yet, just two weeks out from Natalie travelling overseas to start filming, Pip thought Natalie was going on a different TV show.
It’s at this point Pip joins the interview. “I think I just thought it was SES, not army fighting,” Pip reveals down the line.
“Oh my God, you’re so funny,” Natalie tells her.
One of the biggest things Natalie learned from her SAS experience was just how strong she was. Not so much physically because, she acknowledges, she had limitations there, but mentally.
“My self-belief is something I’ve worked on for years,” Natalie says.
“When I’m in situations that might send my nervous system into disarray or if I have anxiety or whatever, I feel like I have the tools and am better equipped to deal with those situations.”
Away from SAS, life couldn’t be busier. She’s on stage in the musical Waitress and has a new album with Rogue Traders, who are preparing to tour.
She also filmed her first lead role in the film Love, Wine & Valentine, alongside Bernard Curry, Lincoln Lewis and Kate Jenkinson (“We play sisters”).
Natalie’s also penned an unflinching memoir, Love Like This, which is also the title of a 2010 single she released. She says the book is about “self-love”.
“It’s a very reflective book on finding your best self,” she says.
So, is this the best version of Natalie Bassingthwaighte right now?
“My best self so far,” she smiles.
SAS: Australia vs England premieres Wednesday, April 29 on Channel Seven and 7Plus.
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