Following her shock divorce and a health scare that left her wondering if her wheel of good fortune had run out, Sophie Falkiner insists she’s never been happier, and is embracing this next chapter with her children, and a supportive new partner, by her side.
Beaming with pride as she strolls along the stretch of golden beach near her home in Sydney with kids Bella, 17, and Jack, 14, in tow, it’s clear Sophie, 48, is extremely close with her look-alike progeny.
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“Jack is very sensitive, intuitive, caring and kind and Bella is hilarious, strong and people smart,” the popular TV personality tells New Idea as she ushers us into her stunning home post-walk.
“She is her own woman – you don’t want to mess with her!”

Sophie is the first to admit she didn’t find being a single mum easy, after she and their dad, radio executive Tony Thomas, divorced in 2015 after 14 years of marriage.
“When I married, I did marry for life,” she says.
“My parents have been together for 52 years, so it was tough for me because one of the biggest things I mourned was the family unit and having all of us together. But the last seven years have been a very empowering time for me.”
Post-split, Sophie turned to her parents, Aleida and Stephen, for support, as well as her tight group of girlfriends, many of whom she’s known since primary school. More recently, this same group rallied and lifted the Wheel of Fortune co-host up during a cancer scare.
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Last year, the long-time breast cancer charity ambassador was left reeling during a family holiday to Thailand when she discovered a “scary” lump in her breast after a workout.
“I immediately booked an ultrasound and mammogram the moment I got off the plane in Sydney. I then had to have two biopsies. It’s a really scary time waiting to see whether you have a ticking time bomb inside your body,” Sophie admits.
“Luckily I was OK and that was a relief.”

Sophie decided to share her story last August after Olivia Newton-John lost her battle with the disease.
“I thought if I can encourage one woman to do a self-check or get a mammogram…” she says, trailing off. “I had an influx of women thanking me for reminding them to get checked and other women who have cancer saying thank you for the reminder.”
Sophie – who has been travelling the world for Luxury Escapes on Network Ten on top of working on Channel Seven’s Sydney Weekender – also had the love and support of the handsome man who won her heart last year, Stephen Wood.
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“Yes, I’m in love,” Sophie admits. “He’s probably one of the kindest men I’ve ever met and I feel very lucky.
“It’s relaxed and he’s amazing with my kids. He’s a solid, good man and he has a lot of character.
“I’m at a beautiful spot in my life right now and I’m very grateful for it.
“There has been a lot of hard work behind the scenes, and a lot of hustling at times, but I feel really lucky that I’m still working and paying bills and doing what I love.”