Steve ‘Commando’ Willis shot to fame in 2007 when he burst onto the TV screens as one of the most ruthless trainers on The Biggest Loser Australia.
The former soldier, 48, was notorious on the weight loss program for his hard-hitting gruff persona as he shouted in the faces of the overworked contestants.
After leaning into his brutal Commando character during his TV career, Steve has softened in recent years and he tells Daily Mail Australia it’s all thanks to his four children and girlfriend Harika Vancuylenberg.
‘I definitely don’t live my life in [Commando] character,’ the Get Commando Fit (GCF) gym co-founder said on Wednesday.
When it comes to parenting his children – Briana, 25, Ella, 16, Jack, 13, and Axel, nine— Steve has a gentler touch and prefers to lead by example.
‘I’m a lot more considerate and just, I don’t need to feel so compelled to interject,’ he said.
‘Axel is still young. How I father him is different to the older ones. You give the older ones a little more space.’
But it wasn’t always this way, as Steve revealed he struggled more with his eldest Briana, who he welcomed to the world when he was just 22 and still figuring life out.
Steve ‘Commando’ Willis, 48, (pictured) shot to fame in 2007 when he burst onto the TV screens as one of the most ruthless trainers on The Biggest Loser Australia
‘It’s just a lot different to when I was younger. Maybe there was an anxiety or this need to ensure that they didn’t make choices like I did,’ he said.
And it seems Steve’s growing children —who he shares with earlier ex partners Froso (Briana, Ella and Jack) and Michelle Bridges (Axel)—have taught him just as much about life as he has them.
‘My kids, they’ll talk me in circles, but it’s good because I’ve learned to express myself, my feelings and emotions,’ he explained.
‘Being a guy, you hear it everyday in the media about how guys need to have that support network and lean on the shoulder of someone else and ask for help.
‘I really struggled to express myself with words when I was younger and I think my expression was physical.
‘Nowadays, look at how we all communicate and interact. We’re so much better and more considerate.’
The former soldier, 48, was notorious on the weight loss program for his hard-hitting gruff persona as he shouted in the faces of the overworked contestants. Pictured with co-stars Shannan Ponton, Tiffiny Hall and Michelle Bridges
Steve is now in committed and loving relationship with girlfriend Harika, who he started Get Commando Fit Group Training with in January 2022 in Rouse Hill, NSW.
The TV personality and his partner were first seen walking hand-in-hand together in February 2020, just days after ex Michelle, 53, was charged with drink driving following their split.
Four years later and the couple boast a blended family of six, with Harika’s two children from a prior relationship.
Steve says the pair are ‘too old’ to have anymore children together and don’t currently have engagement or marriage plans they’re willing to make public.
However, Steve has only glowing praise for his girlfriend of four years who is an F45 trainer and also has a fiery passion for fitness.
‘I’m proud to say [Harika] is an amazing woman. She really digs in. She works hard,’ he said.
‘She’s a fantastic mother to her kids and she’s definitely a fantastic human being to my kids. She’s very thoughtful and considerate.
After leaning into his brutal Commando character during his TV career, Steve has softened in recent years and he tells Daily Mail Australia it’s all thanks to his four children and girlfriend Harika Vancuylenberg. Pictured with Harika and two of their children
‘She gives people space and time to be themselves. She’s fun. If she could, she’d be out on the dance floor every day.
‘That’s the kind of person that she is… She’s definitely more of an extroverted person than I am. You know some people they just flourish in being amongst other people.’
Before getting into a relationship with Harika, Steve dated fitness guru Michelle who he met while working on The Biggest Loser.
Shortly after the pair announced their splits 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 split in 2020, the same year Michelle was convicted for drunk driving.
In 2021, the former Biggest Loser star told Good Weekend magazine she suffered her fair share of ‘dark’ days following her split from Steve.
When it comes to parenting his kids—Briana, 25, Ella, 16, Jack, 13, and Axel, nine—Steve said he has a gentler touch and prefers to lead by example. All pictured with Harika and her two children
‘I felt very alone,’ she said.
‘To be honest, it was the hardest time of my life, ever, leading up to what happened. I felt like I was in a fog, and I didn’t know what was happening.’
Michelle blew 0.086 when she was pulled over in her Range Rover with son Axel, then five, in the car at about 11.25am on Australia Day in 2020.
After she was charged on January 26, Michelle released a statement claiming she was going through a ‘very difficult time’ following her split from Steve.
The star later pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving and was fined $750. She also had her licence disqualified for three months.
Outside court, a tearful Michelle said: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep remorse, shame and humiliation [over] this incident and extreme lack of judgment.
‘I would like to apologise to my family, friends and community for this gross error in judgment and the consequences of these actions will haunt me forever.’
Steve has only glowing praise for his girlfriend of four years Harika, who is an F45 trainer and also has a fiery passion for fitness. They announced their relationship in 2020
When asked about his relationship with Michelle now, Steve confirmed they keep in regular contact and happily co-parent their son Axel.
‘Yeah, the co-parenting and just the communications around that. Whether [Axel’s] with her or he’s with me. He gets a good mix,’ he said.
‘We’re both all for spending time with one another and I ensure he spends time with his brother and his 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.
Before getting into a relationship with Harika , Steve dated fitness guru Michelle, who he met while working on The Biggest Loser for seven years. They share son Axel and split in 2020
That same year, he joined the cast of Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders and became the 18th person eliminated.
Steve dropped out of the spotlight following his split from Michelle in 2020.
In August this year, he announced he was making a return to TV after his lengthy 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 gruelling challenges.
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