I was a happy, bouncy, energetic tomboy when I was young. My concerned mum enrolled me in modelling lessons to teach me deportment and grooming, and that’s when I became aware of my body. Photographers told me I was too fat to be a model and I should lose 5kg. I was 15 and had what my dad called “a good, solid country build”. I also had bad teenage skin and I went from being a happy, relaxed child into a self-conscious teenager, who couldn’t leave the house without a full face of make-up on. Even today, I won’t go out without mascara.
The botox question: Have they or haven’t they?
But in my 40s, I do feel more relaxed about my looks. I don’t have the body I used to, but when I despair about my stomach, my husband reminds me that it carried our incredibly beautiful son.
I still look in the mirror and wonder where that extra roll, the cellulite and wrinkles came from. I’m very aware of diet and I try to exercise. I go for walks, I use my Wii Fit, I do yoga and I’ve taken up jogging – well, more shuffling, really. I quite like my arms and I try to keep them toned – and my legs are okay, particularly in a pair of pants.
Video: Behind the scenes of The Body Issue cover shoot
I’ve had a bit of Botox, which these days feels like having a facial. I think even if women want to cut their face and put someone else’s on, that’s fine. We should stop judging each other. If someone asks me if their bum looks big, I’ll always say they look fantastic!
Your say: What do you think of Rebecca Gibney? Do you use botox? Would you consider it? Share your thoughts below…
Read more from this interview in the January issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly out now with our bumper celebrity cover.