Michelle Bridges reveals what it's REALLY like co-parenting son Axel, nine, with ex Steve 'Commando' Willis

Celebrity personal trainer Michelle Bridges is celebrating her son Axel's birthday in style — with a foam pool party in Bali. 

Taking to social media on Thursday, the Australian fitness icon, 51, shared a beautiful tribute to him in the form of a montage of photos from throughout his life so far. 

'9 years of life with you. What a beautiful soul you are. The love of my life. Happy Birthday Axel. Mumma xxx,' she captioned the video. 

Bridges became a mum at the age of 45, while her partner Steve 'Commando' Willis had three children from a previous relationship. 

The duo shot to fame in 2007 when they burst onto TV screens as the hard-hitting, no-nonsense trainers and TV hosts of The Biggest Loser. 

Co-parenting doesn't come easily to anyone, Michelle explained on the latest episode of the Mental As Anyone podcast: 'It is challenging. It comes with its challenges but the sentence has always got to start in Axel’s best interests, that’s how I go into it every time.'

The famous duo debuted their romance on the red carpet in May 2013, shortly after announcing splits from their respective partners at the time. 

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.  

'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.'

In the wide-ranging podcast interview, Bridges said in the mess of life, 'I think you've just got to find the joy and find the love.'

For her, that's Axel - the son who she wasn't sure she'd ever have. 

'My son. Straight away. He got into the finals for the poetry competition and he did so well. That's just made my week. He's delightful. 

'He is everything. I feel really blessed because as you would know, my career took off right in the time frame when women often start thinking about having a baby.

'Around 35 my career just blew up. 

'I never really thought I was going to have a child anyway because I didn't feel like I was that maternal. I had him late - I was pregnant at 44 and I had him at 45, in medical world that's a geriatric uterus.'

She said when her and Willis make co-parenting decisions they think, 'Okay, what is going to be the best thing for him.'

'His dad and I were both there today at his poetry recital. We both play an active role. I am the major caregiver.

'I’m with him probably 95 per cent of the time, but his dad is there, and that’s really important for him, for his mental health, that he can see that his parents are working towards everything for him. 

'But, yeah, it’s not without its challenges, ask any parent that is co-parenting, it is a work in progress.' 

She and Willis appeared as trainers on The Biggest Loser Australia from 2007 to 2015. 

The former solider, 48, was notorious on the weight loss program for his gruff persona as he shouted in the faces of the overworked contestants.

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. 

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.

'When you very first go through a process of separation, it’s easy to say something ill against the other, but you know that that’s not anything that the child needs or wants to hear and for their future development and their mental health, you just can’t,' Bridges added.

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 told Daily Mail. 

'Axel is still young. How I father him is different to the older ones. You give the older ones a little more space.'

Bridges said that her friends' predictions that Axel may be more creative than sporty have been realised. 

'Sure enough. He tolerates fitness,' she laughed. 

'He plays tennis, and does karate, and tolerates soccer, but he can recite poetry and a complete movie scene - which is extraordinary. So I'm like, "He's the next Hemsworth," I'll take that.'