Natalie Bassingthwaighte on getting engaged and turning 50
The last few years may have been tumultuous Natalie Bassingthwaighte but, turning 50 with a new fiancée on her arm, she welcomed the milestone last month with open arms.
“It's so wild, I thought it was going to feel harder than it was, but it was just happy,” the newly engaged star shared WSO.
“I feel like I'm in a great headspace, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. I was just done. Life begins at 50!”
A birthday trip to remember
Helping Nat to celebrate was her partner of two years, Pip Loth, who accompanied the couple to Canada.
It was there that the actress got down on bended knee at Niagara Falls and popped the question to a surprised Loth.
The engaged couple then headed to New York, before returning home to ring in the milestone and celebrate their good news with their nearest and dearest.
“New York ended up being a big part of my birthday and my partner's birthday, too,” Nat said, adding that they fit in as many Broadway musicals as they could during their eight-day stay.
“Oh, my God, we didn't stop, we were there for eight days – we saw Death becomes her, The outsiders, Call me Izzywith Jean Smart, Maybe Happy End. And we saw & Julietbecause our friend Romy [Vuksan] performed on Broadway, which was just as exciting.
The party continues
Landing on own ground on a Thursday, the former Neighbors star then hit the ground running with a long weekend full of activities.
This included massages in a bathhouse and a slumber party complete with trying on wigs, singing and dancing.
It all culminated in a Mexican themed gathering filled with lots of margaritas.
“It was nice,” she reflected. “My partner made a cake. It was pretty amazing.”
Flourish professionally and personally
While it's clear that Nat is on top of the world when it comes to her personal life, things couldn't be better in terms of her career either.
An avid traveller, she scored the role of a lifetime as Foxtel's host Luxury Escapes: The World's Best Vacations – something that she still cuts herself, she gets “work”.
“I was really lucky,” she reflected. “It was a dream come true. It's so much fun. But it's not all about drinking cocktails.”
Although this season, she sticks a little closer to home, traveling around NSW and Victoria with co-star Hannah Hollis, Natalie loved the chance to discover parts of the regions she hadn't been to before.
“I think showing places in your backyard is just as important,” she said, “being able to see what we can do in our own backyard is just as special and memorable.”
Back on stage
Another thing that keeps the Rogue Traders frontwoman busy is her one-woman stage show, Shirley Valentine.
Having already toured in Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide, she is set to hit the shelves in Sydney and Brisbane in the coming weeks.
It's a huge commitment, but with rave reviews for her performance as the Liverpudlian, it's one that has paid off.
“It's about this woman who gets to a certain age in her life – she's 42, which was considered quite old in the 80s. Hilarious! She questions where her life went and who she is,” explained the mother-of-two.
“I found there were a lot of similarities in my life. It's beautiful, it's heartwarming, it's life-affirming, it's joyful. You'll cry, you'll laugh.”
Her most 'challenging' project yet
As if she's not busy enough, she's “almost done” writing her memoir, which she calls the “wildest ride I've ever had.”
“It's been emotional, therapeutic, cathartic,” she reflected. “I'm nervous to put it out, but also very excited. It feels like a release.
“When you look at your past and process things, it's challenging, but I'm almost there. We'll announce the date soon, so watch this space.”
Where to catch Nat in action
Natalie will perform in Shirley Valentine at Theater Royal Sydney from 22-26 October and Brisbane's Twelfth Night Theater from 29 October – 9 November.
Tickets are available at shirleyvalentine.com.au
Her Victoria episode of Luxury Escapes: The World's Best Vacations will be broadcast on Thursday. October 30 at 8.30pm on Foxtel.
Stream Luxury Escapes: The World's Best Vacations on Foxtel now from $35/mth, with a 10-day free trial.
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