Everyone has known Julie Goodwin’s name since she won MasterChef Australia in 2009, but now she’s lifting the lid on her life like never before.
Formerly a youth worker, Julie only became a household name at the age of 38, so there’s still a lot more to know about her.
And now is the perfect time, as she’s taking her new memoir, Your Time Starts Now, on the road for her first-ever live stage show.
During her tour, which kicks off in regional NSW on February 6, Julie promises some cooking, chaos and honest chats, though speaking about her life publicly has come with its challenges.
“[My memoir is] all the things that have happened, the good, the bad and the ugly, so it was quite a difficult process,” she tells us.
Despite her hesitations, Julie is set to delve into all aspects of her life while chatting to her radio co-host, David “Rabbit” Rabbets, on stage during her most unfiltered project yet.
“Whatever part of the story the audience wants to hear is where we will go,” she promises.
“We’re going to be going down the MasterChef memory lane, and behind the scenes, and all that good stuff!”
So, does she have any fears about touring for the first time?
“My greatest fear is that no one will come! Geez, please buy tickets, I would hate to do this tour to an empty room,” she jokes.
While singers might be known for their extensive Tour Riders, Julie has just one thing that she needs at every show.
“I think I’ll be travelling with a very sharp knife,” she quips.
“That does sound slightly ominous, doesn’t it? But a sharp knife is the most important thing that you have in the kitchen, and if you don’t have that, then everything’s hard, so I think I’ll bring my knife with me.”
For Julie, food is a way to bring the family together, and the next occasion for her to do that might be when her youngest son, Paddy, marries his fiancée, Brooke Taylor.
The couple celebrated their engagement by travelling the globe, and, after making a surprise return Down Under for Christmas, they are looking ahead to setting a wedding date.
Though Christmas and weddings can unite people, Julie believes in using everyday meals to spend quality time with Mick and their sons, Joe, 30, Tom, 29, and Paddy, 27.
Having dealt with her own mental health struggles, Julie has always used dinner times to encourage her sons to speak openly about their daily successes and struggles.
“I think that’s one of the greatest gifts you can give your children; encourage them to tell you their highlights but permit them to come to you with their grief as well,” she says.
Julie knows how important it is to reach out for help, as well as being there for others, after her mental health struggles led to her being hospitalised in 2020.
After working hard on her recovery, Julie is more “comfortable” than ever, but she admits she originally found it frustrating that there wasn’t a one-step solution to mental health.
“I’ve ebbed and flowed in terms of my confidence throughout my life,” she tells us.
“I’m feeling really comfortable now. I’ve done a lot of work with a psychologist to help me process all the things I needed to process, so I can find myself in a position where I can have these conversations.
“There’s a long list of things that need to be done to maintain that. It really annoyed me when I got very unwell, and then I did all the things I was supposed to do, and it was like ‘OK, I’m well now, off I go’, but you’ve got to keep doing them.
“That’s so annoying, but it actually turns into a great joy if you start to prioritise the things that keep you well.”
While still finding joy in her TV career, Julie has learnt the importance of not overworking and the power of saying “no”.
“The advice I’d give myself if I could go back would be don’t be so frightened that it’s all going to disappear,” she shares.
“Part of the trouble that I got myself into was that I said yes to every opportunity that came through the door, and I became overwhelmed and overworked.
“If I could see that 16 years later, that I’m still carving a life out of what happened there, I could tone it all down a notch.
“But, of course, if you give advice to your younger self, then you might change your outcome!
“Whatever I’ve been through, some of it’s been brutal, but it’s all led me to where I am now, and where I am now? It’s great.”
As for what’s next for Julie? She isn’t ruling out a return to the screen, if the call comes.
“Life is an adventure, I never quite know what’s going to be around the corner, but I know it’s going to be fun,” she adds.
