These days the actress, with her hubby of 14 years, Michael Wilson, not only call a farm near Byron Bay home, but is now a mum to sons Otis, 13, and Tobias, eight, as well as stepson James.
‘A lot has happened and they’ve all been blessings,’ says Bridie, who played the hugely popular Tess Silverman McLeod.
‘I have a really wonderful, rich life and I’m very, very fortunate in that way. I think because an actor’s life is so transient, so forever changing, and nothing is sure, that’s been for me the steadfast in my life – the fact that my family life is so strong and steady. And ironically I live on a farm and I have Tess moments all the time!’
Meanwhile, Bridie confesses that she couldn’t be more excited by the fact that she will soon be reuniting with her former castmates, whom she truly regards as her second family. Lisa Chappell (Claire), Aaron Jeffery (Alex), Aaron’s real-life partner and former co-star Zoe Naylor (Regan) and Myles Pollard (Nick) will be with Bridie again – this time on stage for an ‘In conversation with’ at the Roxy Theatre in Leeton, NSW, on Saturday, July 21.
‘It’s really exciting,’ says Bridie. ‘McLeod’s Daughters bonded us in a way that no other job ever has. We all say that the show had a life unto itself – it was bigger than all of us. The fact that there are still such incredible fans out there, where box-set DVDs are still selling out, is absolutely mind-blowing to me.
‘So we’re taking ourselves to the people for this reunion and it will be emceed by Zoe. I think what people love is the dynamic of us together – they see that it’s real. We have an absolute love of each other and that has never been lost.’
Read the full story in this week's issue of New Idea, on sale now.
