Former Australian television host Suzie Wilks has delighted fans with a rare and glamorous public appearance, sharing festive photos on social media. The presenter, best known for fronting popular home renovation shows in the early 2000s, looked remarkably youthful as she celebrated the season with friends.
A Festive Return to the Spotlight
The 55-year-old mum-of-one took to her Instagram story on Monday to post a montage from a pre-Christmas lunch. Wilks cut a svelte and stylish figure for the soirée, showcasing an outfit that highlighted her timeless elegance.
She chose a sophisticated combination of a black satin blouse tucked into a beige mini skirt, which drew attention to her lithe legs. The look was finished with knee-high black leather boots, large sunglasses, and a touch of silver jewellery around her neck.
Embracing the Christmas Spirit
The Instagram post revealed that Wilks was fully embracing the festive period, attending multiple holiday-themed events. In one cheerful snapshot, she relaxed with friends wearing a colourful, floral-patterned midi dress.
Another amusing image captured the former presenter in a chic black and white chequered dress, laughing as she tried to remove a cat from a dining table. Throughout the photos, she appeared happy, relaxed, and virtually unchanged from her days as a familiar face in Australian living rooms.
Stepping Away from the Camera
Suzie Wilks was a prominent figure on Australian television, hosting Network Ten's Changing Rooms from 1998 to 2005 and later Our House. However, she stepped back from her on-screen career in 2009 and largely retreated from the public eye by 2011.
In a 2019 interview, she explained her decision was driven by motherhood. Wilks, who shares daughter Ruby, now 13, with ex-husband Nick O'Halloran, said she underestimated the challenge of balancing a demanding TV schedule with family life.
"I thought it was the type of job where I could be a mum and provide for my kids," she told News Corp. "What I didn't realise [was] it's actually quite the opposite of that." Describing her work on Changing Rooms, which filmed for 40 weeks a year, as "extremely time-consuming," she chose to resign because she didn't want to miss out on her daughter's life.
After leaving Changing Rooms at the end of 2005, she had a brief stint on Seven Network's Dancing With The Stars in 2008. This move coincided with the tragic and sudden death of her mother, Ann, from a brain aneurysm at age 67. Following this difficult period, Wilks focused entirely on raising her daughter.
The series that made her famous, Changing Rooms, was rebooted by Network Ten in 2018 with host Natalie Bassingthwaighte, but was axed after just four episodes.
