Tim Bone – one of the favourites on MasterChef Australia – has opened up to TV WEEK about suffering the heartbreak of losing a pregnancy.
Tim and his wife Abbey have been married for two-and-a-half years and really want to have children.
“We’ve been trying for a couple of years now, but haven’t had any luck,” Tim says. “Unfortunately, we had a miscarriage in 2017, which was devastating. That broke our hearts.”
Tim, 33, works as an integration aide at a primary school in Ballarat, Victoria, and also runs after-school programs for underprivileged children.
“We really want to have our own little baby, because I love kids and love working with them,” he explains. “It would be lovely to have our own.”
Tim and his wife Abbey.
For Tim to go on MasterChef, it meant he and Abbey had to put their plans for starting a family on hold. But as soon as the show is over, that will be their focus.
“That’ll be at the top of my to-do list,” he says.
Viewers saw Tim’s tears when he received a letter from Abbey. He admits it’s been “very difficult” being away from her for so long.
“It’s been really tough on her, but she’s been amazing. I miss her so much. I think this is just going to make our relationship even stronger. Once I get out, we’ll hopefully start a family and really just have an amazing life together.”
Tim’s found it tough to be away from his wife while filming MasterChef.
Tim jokes that because he’s lost so much weight in the MasterChef house, Abbey will be getting a “new man” when he returns home.
“I was about 100kg around Christmas and now I’m 84-85kg, which is pretty cool,” he explains. “I never thought I’d lose weight on a cooking show – I thought it would have gone the other way.”
Tim puts his weight loss down to regular exercise.
“There’s a gym in the MasterChef house and I made a habit of using that every day, as it’s a really good stress reliever. I’d get on the treadmill and go for a good run, then I’d get on the exercise bike.”
He also cut back on snacking while he was in the house.
“You don’t really have access to junk food, which has been nice. I think it also helped that we couldn’t drink alcohol.”
Tim credits the MasterChef gym for his recent weight loss.
Tim says he’s had to buy “pretty much a whole new wardrobe”.
“In terms of my pants size, I’ve gone from a 38 to a 32 [waist]. Some of the shirts I was wearing at the start of MasterChef, I just swim in them now.
“I’m in the best shape I’ve been since I was a teenager, I reckon – I feel great.”
MasterChef Australia airs Monday to Thursday, and Sunday, 7.30pm, on 10.
