How Biggest Loser’s most ruthless trainer turned into the biggest softie: Steve ‘Commando’ Willis opens up about his family – and if he is on good terms with ex Michelle Bridges

Steve ‘Commando’ Willis rose to fame in 2007 when he burst onto TV screens as one of the most ruthless trainers in The Biggest Loser Australia.

The former soldier, 48, was infamous on the weight-loss program for his tough, gruff personality as he shouted in the faces of overworked participants.

After developing his cheeky Commando character during his TV career, Steve has softened in recent years and tells Ny Breaking Australia it’s all thanks to his four children and girlfriend Harika Vancuylenberg.

‘I certainly don’t live my life [Commando] character,” the co-founder of the Get Commando Fit (GCF) gym said on Wednesday.

When it comes to raising his children – Briana, 25, Ella, 16, Jack, 13, and Axel, nine – Steve takes a softer approach and prefers to lead by example.

“I’m much more considerate and fair, I don’t have to feel so compelled to intervene,” he said.

‘Axel is still young. How I conceive him is different than the older ones. You give the elderly a little more space.’

But that hasn’t always been the case. Steve revealed that he struggled more with his eldest Briana, who he welcomed into the world at 22 and was still figuring life out.

‘It’s just very different from when I was younger. Maybe there was fear or a need to make sure they didn’t make choices like I did,” he said.

And it seems Steve’s growing children – whom he shares with previous ex-partners Froso (Briana, Ella and Jack) and Michelle Bridges (Axel) – have taught him as much about life as he taught them.

“My kids talk to me in circles, but it’s good because I’ve learned to express myself, my feelings and emotions,” he explained.

‘As a man, you hear in the media every day that men should have a support network and lean on someone else’s shoulder and ask for help.

‘When I was younger I really struggled to express myself with words and I think my expression was physical.

‘Look at how we all communicate and interact with each other these days. We are so much better and more attentive.”

Steve is now in a committed and loving relationship with girlfriend Harika, with whom he started Get Commando Fit Group Training in Rouse Hill, NSW in January 2022.

The TV personality and his partner were first spotted holding hands together in February 2020, just days after ex Michelle, 53, was charged with drink-driving following their split.

Four years later, the couple has a blended family of six, with Harika’s two children from a previous relationship.

Steve says the couple is “too old” to have any more children together and that they currently have no engagement or wedding plans that they want to make public.

However, Steve has nothing but praise for his girlfriend of four years, who is an F45 trainer and also has a burning passion for fitness.

‘I’m proud to say [Harika] is a wonderful woman. She really digs it. She works hard,” he said.

“She is a fantastic mother to her children and she is an absolutely fantastic person to my children. She is very thoughtful and considerate.

‘She gives people the space and time to be themselves. She’s nice. If she could, she would be on the dance floor every day.

“That’s the kind of person she is… She’s definitely more of an outgoing person than I am. You know, some people just thrive in the company of other people.”

Before dating Harika, Steve dated fitness guru Michelle, who he met while working on The Biggest Loser.

Shortly after the couple announced their separation from their respective partners at the time, they debuted their new romance on the red carpet in May 2013.

They welcomed their son Axel in December 2015 and later announced their divorce in 2020, the same year Michelle was convicted of drunken driving.

In 2021, the former Biggest Loser star told Good Weekend magazine that she had been going through her fair share of “dark” days following her divorce from Steve.

“I felt very alone,” she said.

“Honestly, it was the hardest time of my life ever, leading up to what happened. It felt like I was in a fog and I didn’t know what was happening.’

Michelle blew 0.086 when she was stopped in her Range Rover at around 11.25am on Australia Day in 2020 with son Axel, then five, in the car.

After being charged on January 26, Michelle released a statement claiming she was going through a “very difficult time” following her divorce from Steve.

The star later pleaded guilty to mid-level drunken driving and was fined $750. Her driver’s license was also revoked for three months.

Outside court, a tearful Michelle said: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep regret, shame and humiliation [over] this incident and an extreme lack of judgment.

“I would like to apologize to my family, friends and community for this gross error in judgment and the consequences of these actions will haunt me forever.”

When asked about his relationship with Michelle now, Steve confirmed that they keep in regular contact and enjoy co-parenting their son Axel.

‘Yes, co-parenting and just the communication around it. Or [Axel’s] with her or he with me. “He gets a good mix,” he said.

“We both want to spend time together and I make sure he spends time with his brother and sisters.”

Steve left The Biggest Loser after the tenth season aired in 2015 and attempted to launch an acting career in 2018 when he made a guest appearance on Home and Away.

That same year, he joined the cast of Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders and became the 18th person eliminated.

Steve disappeared from the spotlight following his divorce from Michelle in 2020.

In August this year, he announced that he was returning to television after his long absence from the screen.

He co-hosted season four of the 7Mate show Search4Hurt, which sees fitness enthusiasts train with experts in a series of grueling challenges.