you consider whether the show will still be on in a few weeks,” says Johanna. “It is always fun to be involved in the show, but it is much nicer to be involved when you know it is being well received by audiences. All those changes and extra effort paid off this year.” Being in front of camera filming shows about house improvement, cooking and gardening for 13 years hasn’t wilted Johanna’s enthusiasm for any of those things. She is a cookbook collector and has around 400 in the collection; “I bang out meals left, right and centre,” she adds. “And I love gardening – it is so relaxing and there are so many synergies between gardening and good mental health. It puts balance in your life.” BEYOND TV Mental health is something that Johanna has a personal interest in, as she is on the board of Beyond Blue, an organisation that promotes mental health and tackles stigma and discrimination while providing support for sufferers. “Beyond Blue and other trusted organisations havecertainlyputmentalhealthattheforefront. Initially, the goal was to raise awareness and stop discrimination. We have a long way to go, but I certainly think that the awareness of mental health today is extraordinary.” As a result, younger generations today are much more aware of the issue than their predecessors. “For so many years people were told to ‘toughen up, you’ll be right’, but when things aren’t right, and you are struggling, there is nothing wrong with seeking help. “Today, people realise they need to look after their mental health and that they can reach out for help; it is no different than going to see a doctor about a sore throat – both are the same, they are both illnesses.” Johanna has to look after herself to manage her busy lifestyle, and she still has to be careful of the illness she battled as a teenager. “One of the most important things is the fuel that you put in and how well you know what your body needs,” she says. “I watch my diet closely, so if I am run down I know what foods to cut out straight away, and to this day, I am very disciplined in the way that I watch my sleep patterns – that is key.” Despite having lived her life in the public eye for around 30 years, Johanna has managed the distinction between private and public relatively easily, saying she has rarely felt uncomfortable by her fame. Putting up boundaries between her family and public life was key, especially when her two sons, Joe and Jesse (whom she had with former husband Gary Sweet), were growing up. “People think I have a really public life, but I feel like I have a private life. I feel like I can be myself and that is very easy, natural and normal.” It seems that whole celebrity thing that some people struggle with isn’t that hard at all. Well, it’s not for Johanna Griggs. GLE 250: PRACTICAL, TOUGH AND WARM SEATS Johanna’s GLE 250. When Johanna became a Mercedes- Benz Parramatta brand ambassador, she was pitched a sleek and sexy car. What she wanted, however, was a practical vehicle with a massive boot that could handle tough conditions. “Those were my priorities”. Hence, she chose the GLE 250. “It can get up to the farm, and it can withstand the rigours of water crossing - those things are essential.” If there is one thing she has learned, it is that a seat warmer is an essential element of any car she will drive in the future. “It is the best thing on those 2-3 degree winter mornings in the mountains.” “I pinch myself when I am sitting behind thewheel.Ithasbeenlovelytocollaborate with Mercedes-Benz Parramatta.” FEATURE 11