Natalie Barr has finally shared images of her teenage boys following years of keeping them out of the spotlight.
The Sunrise co-host appeared with her two sons, 19-year-old Lachlan and 16-year-old Hunter, for the first time together in the media for an interview and photoshoot for The Australian Women’s Weekly.
In the interview, Natalie talked about her “amazing” new role as co-host of the breakfast show and about her family life with the boys and her husband, film editor Andrew Thompson.
“While I have only been in the seat for a couple of weeks, I have to admit that I love it,” she said of her move from reading the news to replacing Samantha Armytage in March.
“A lot of people said that, ‘Oh, it should be a breeze, you’ve done it before.’ But that was only as a fill-in,” she continued.
“So yes, I know what the job is, but that’s not always the same as actually having the job.”
Barr said working alongside David ‘Kochie’ Koch “comes with a lot of responsibility”, but the fact she gets along so well with the rest of her colleagues on the show “really helps”.
Barr also went on to share details of her home life that had been mostly private until now, telling the magazine that “my sons and my husband are my life”.
“I may have this amazing career, but Andrew and the boys come first,” she said.
“Of course, I have always been able to run out the door to cover a story when I need to, but I only ever did that when the boys were old enough to deal with it and to be left at home.”
She said the “beauty” of working on Sunrise for 17 years has been that she could “race home” from the studio after finishing up the breakfast show to be a “full time mum for the rest of the day”.
“I could be with them and watch them grow up every day. In that way, it was magical,” she said.
Eldest son Lachlan is currently studying at one of Australia’s top film schools while Hunter is finishing Year 10.
Barr said she “doesn’t care” what her sons choose to do when they get older as long as “they find something they love doing”.
“I think Drew and I have been lucky enough to find careers that we love doing every day,” she said.
“I think that perhaps it’s unusual. Not everyone gets to do what they love. But it would be incredible if they could find that.
“Otherwise, all you ever want for your kids as a parent is for them to be happy and healthy.
“You know, to go out into the world and do what they want to do, to find something worthwhile and find someone who they love to be part of the life,” she explained.
“It’s really basic, but it’s probably also the secret to a good life.”
Image: Australian Women’s Weekly
This article originally appeared on Over60.