Rebecca Judd is the well-known host of Channel 9 Postcards, a weekend weather presenter and is married to former AFL player Chris Judd. They have two children and recently announced they are expecting twins. I chat to Rebecca Judd, 33, about her career, juggling family life and the biggest misconception about her.
What is a day in the life of Bec Judd?
They vary depending on the day of the week. On the weekends I am presenting the weather for 9 News, on Wednesdays I am filming Postcards for Channel 9 and every day in between is a mix of school pick up/drop-offs, doing activities with my kids from Auskick to ballet, writing for my blog Rebecca Judd Loves, photo shoots and events for the brands I work with, design meetings for my range with Adairs, attending strategy meetings and working in the beauty education business I co-founded, Beauty EDU, and a little bit of house work, life admin and exercise thrown in. Phew – busy!
You juggle so many roles within your work life. Which is most important and requires the most amount of your focus?
Definitely being a mum is the most important and requires the most focus, no question about it. Work comes a very distant second to the importance of being a good and present mother to your children. For me it’s all about getting the balance right. I love my work too and I want my children to know that they can be a great parent and have a fulfilling and rewarding career at the same time.
What is the best part of what you do?
The balance I’m able to achieve between spending quality family time at home and working many jobs, which are varied and interesting and bring me great satisfaction. I don’t get bored and I have enough flexibility in my life that if I have a new business idea, I can usually explore and execute it.
What is the worst?
Nothing. Seriously. I’m bloody lucky.
You have a hugely popular blog. What inspired you to start it?
I wanted to share all of the awesome things I’d seen and learned across my time living overseas, working in fashion, travelling on TV and building and designing houses.
Having a personal blog means you have to show some of your personal life/opinions. What are the pros and cons to this?
The pros are that people get to know the real you instead of the view as portrayed by certain media. The cons are that it is a monster who constantly needs feeding. It is seriously like a never-ending university assignment having to come up with great content!
If you ever receive criticism, how do you cope with that?
It depends who it is coming from. If it’s from my boss then I sit up straight and listen, if it’s a troll I delete their comment and block them.
What is off-limits when it comes to social media?
Try not to diss a brand or person on social media. If you have an issue, take it up with the company/person directly. It’s never a good look ranting on social media and nobody likes to see celebrities whinging about their delayed flight or lukewarm coffee!
What is the biggest misconception about you?
The first question people always ask my colleagues and friends is if I eat. So I guess the misconception is that I don’t. I don’t try to look the way I do. I just do. Believe me, nobody has the energy to grow four big, bouncing babies, work a gazillion jobs, run businesses, a household and a family on an empty stomach.
What are you most proud of in your career?
It was great joining Channel 9 as their host for travel show Postcards. I also love designing for Adairs. My first soft furnishings and bed-linen range sold out so I’m continuing working with them. I love it. Running a profitable blog is a thrill too, and creating beautiful content with my partners. I also adore my work with Paul Bram diamonds, my longest-standing client. I have some new projects in the pipeline, which I’m looking forward to launching later in the year.
When you were younger, did you ever envisage your life to be the way it is today?
No, I thought I’d be a flight attendant or a doctor.
What would you be doing if you didn’t go down the career path of media?
I have a speech pathology degree and worked on the trauma and neurosurgery wards including ICU at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, mainly with patients suffering head injuries. I guess I’d probably be doing something in that field.
As a trained speech pathologist, will you ever step back into that career path?
I’m not sure. I’ll see how the next five years pans out and decide. So far, it is looking like a TV career, plus managing my own beauty and media businesses is the way I’ll go. I love how dynamic, exciting and flexible my career currently is.
How is Chris enjoying life after football?
He is loving life. He is enjoying a good mix of investing and business analysis with a little bit if footy media thrown in. He’s a guest panellist on Channel 9’s Footy Classified. He’s got the balance right and has found the transition pretty smooth so far.
Is he a hands-on dad?
Absolutely. He is the first one up in the morning, organising breakfast, bringing me coffee in bed, dressing the kids, preparing school lunches, doing school drop-offs. It is like having an extra mum in the house!
You recently announced you are expecting twins, congratulations! How do you feel?
Thanks – we are still in shock. Twins happens to other people – not us! I had terrible morning sickness but I’m feeling good now, but slightly anxious. As they are identical twins, they share only one placenta so it’s quite a high-risk pregnancy and my boys will likely be premature, which is a very different experience to Oscar and Billie’s pregnancies.
What was the moment like when you first found out you were expecting twins?
I dropped a lot of F-bombs. I broke out into a sweat and started trembling. My ob [obstetrician] missed the second twin on my first scan so it wasn’t until the next scan around 12 weeks when we discovered the second baby – eek!
You will definitely have your hands full with four children! You must be very excited.
We are crapping ourselves but giddy with excitement. We are very lucky that we are able to have such a large family. It will be hectic but at the end of the day, we are just so blessed.
Will you take time off from your busy work commitments when the twins arrive?
I think I’ll have three months off over summer but then back to work. I love my work and can do a lot of it from home. My Channel 9 commitments are only a couple of days a week away from home, so I’ll have a good balance of home v work time.
How do you juggle being a working mum?
I have a nanny three days a week and fantastic family support. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without them.
What’s the best thing about being a mum?
The love you receive from these little people who just idolise you. It’s also amazing watching them grow and seeing their personalities come to life.
What do you find most challenging thing about motherhood?
Dealing with mother’s guilt. I love my work but I still feel bad when I jump in the car and Billie cries at me because she wants me to stay at home with her.
What do you do to relax?
Online shopping, pilates, going to great cafes in Melbourne and I’m partial to a great massage at the many wonderful day spas around Melbourne. As I’m trying to take it easy with the twins on the way, most weekends consist of lying in front of the fire watching TV- ahhh bliss!
What are some of your favourite things to do as a family?
We love kicking the footy at the park, going to great cafes for breakfast and having a hot spa at home most evenings. We also enjoy holidaying in Noosa if we are in Australia or we go and stay at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai which is seriously the best hotel in the world for kids and adults alike. Check it out- you wont be disappointed.
What is your favourite part of the weekend?
Sleep ins and breakfast at The Pantry in Brighton.
What is still on your bucket list career wise?
I’d like to expand my Beauty School into more states, we are currently in Vic and NSW but I’d like to get to QLD and WA. I’m also keen to expand The Style School part of my blog whereby I have been renovating and styling houses and filming it for content on Rebecca Judd Loves. We are just about to start on our third home and it’s been a really fun and successful commercial venture. I’d like to get to the point where we are delivering two to three homes a year.
BITE SIZE
WE WENT TO House of Marks and Spencer, Private Residence in Sydney.
WE ATE a selection of canapés.
WE DRANK sparkling mineral water.
REBECCA WORE Marks and Spencer dress.
KATE WORE Marks and Spencer dress.
