In the 1990s, Rachel Hunter was one of the most recognisable women in the world.

A Sports Illustrated cover star and defining face of the supermodel era, she went from a teenager in New Zealand to global fame almost overnight. She later married Rod Stewart, becoming part of one of the decade’s most talked-about love stories.

From the outside, it looked like the ultimate 90s fairytale.

In this episode of No Filter, Rachel reflects on rising to fame at 17, her whirlwind marriage to Rod Stewart, and what it was really like to live inside that cultural moment.

After recently appearing on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, she speaks candidly about motherhood, public scrutiny, and why the life everyone envied eventually wasn’t enough.

This is a conversation about identity, reinvention, and finding yourself beyond the spotlight.

CREDITS:

Guest: Rachel Hunter

Host: Kate Langbroek

Group Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Video Producer: Josh Green

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Michelle Burgess’ young son Leo became unwell while their family was on holiday in Tasmania, it initially seemed like a virus — something that would pass with rest and time. But within days, Leo lost the ability to move his body, was transferred between hospitals across two states, and was eventually placed into an induced coma while doctors tried to understand what was happening.

Leo was later diagnosed with GFAP astrocytopathy — an extremely rare autoimmune neurological condition that causes inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. What followed was months in hospital, intensive treatment, and the beginning of a recovery that is still ongoing.

In this deeply personal conversation, Michelle takes Kate Langbroek inside the terrifying early days of Leo’s illness — from the moment she realised something was wrong, to the long weeks spent sitting beside his hospital bed in intensive care, unsure whether he would survive. She shares what it means to advocate for your child when there are no clear answers, how she coped with fear and exhaustion, and the extraordinary resilience Leo showed as he slowly began to recover.

It’s an experience Kate understands in a profoundly personal way. When her eldest son was a child, he was diagnosed with leukaemia — an illness he survived — and she recognises the unique fear that comes when a parent is forced to watch their child fight for their life.

This episode is about motherhood, uncertainty, and the kind of love that refuses to give up — even when the future is impossible to imagine.

Michelle and Leo are sharing their story in support of the Starlight Super Swim which aims to raise $4.3 million to bring happiness to more than 110,000 sick kids in hospital. You can donate via superswim.au/NoFilter

If you find yourself needing to talk to someone after listening to this episode please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

CREDITS:

Guest: Michelle Burgess

Host: Kate Langbroek

Group Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Video Producer: Josh Green

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is life really like inside one of the most famous in American pop culture?

In this episode of No Filter, Kate Langbroek sits down with Faith Ward, an Australian–New Zealand dancer who went from thinking an unexpected message was a scam to becoming a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Faith takes us behind the uniform to talk candidly about what it actually takes to make it — and stay — inside the world’s most recognisable cheer squad. From the brutal audition process and constant scrutiny, to discipline, image control, and the realities of pay, Faith shares what the public rarely sees.

We talk ponytails, pressure, pay rises, and perfection — the details that reveal how much is demanded of the women who wear the uniform, and what it costs to belong to such a powerful global brand.

This is a behind-the-curtain conversation about ambition, sacrifice, identity and what happens when the glamour meets the reality.

CREDITS:

Guest: Faith Ward

Host: Kate Langbroek

Group Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Additional Production: Coco Lavigne

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Video Producer: Josh Green

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.