Janette Bendle moves through her Mornington Pilates studio with the ease of someone who’s been teaching here for 13 years – though her journey as an instructor stretches back an impressive 26 years. It’s been seven months since she returned from filming The Golden Bachelor, and while she didn’t find romantic love on national television, she discovered something else entirely. “I remember it was one week in, it was my birthday, and they celebrated me,” she recalls of her fellow contestants. “I thought, you know, this is going to be my love story!”
At age 61, Janette suddenly found herself sharing a bedroom and bathroom with eight other women, an experience that could have been challenging but instead became transformative. “It was very much a reminder of give and take and accept other people’s misgivings and celebrate their wins,” she says. Within a week, the women had become family – a bond so strong they’re planning anniversary catch-ups every March.
“It was very much a reminder of give and take and accept other people’s misgivings and celebrate their wins,” she says.
The Mornington Peninsula has been Janette’s anchor for 32 years, and she can’t imagine living anywhere else. “It’s home, it’s community, it’s grounding. The people are accepting,” she explains. “I love the coastal feel, and then you drive five minutes and you feel like you’re in rural Victoria.”
Her favourite spots read like a peninsula love letter – South Beach where The Golden Bachelor filmed, Fishermans Beach for quiet moments, cocktails in Counting House’s beer garden, and sun-drenched afternoons at Montalto winery. “I love outdoor life. I love feeling the sun,” she says.
Pilates has been her professional calling since 1999 when she first started teaching in what would eventually become her current studio. The business has changed names over the years but has always carried her personal stamp. Despite losing some clients during her Golden Bachelor absence and the quiet winter months, she’s philosophical about her work. “I’m never going to get rich,” she admits, “but I have the most beautiful customers.”
The past year has brought its challenges alongside the excitement of reality television. As an only child, Janette has navigated the complex journey of caring for her elderly mother, who now resides in a care facility. “I’ve had this crazy year full of really high highs and really low lows,” she reflects. She now visits her mother daily, while maintaining her business and personal life.
Along with her family and studio commitments, Janette nurtures a creative side through her Substack @janettebendle, where she documents her reflections on life and its many periods of transition. Some entertainment publications have chosen to reprint her pieces, recognising the power in her honest and heart-warming storytelling.
Experiences like The Golden Bachelor have given her rich material for reflection – offering unexpected lessons about resilience and adaptation. The camping weekend stands out as a highlight, particularly the night her friend Jan couldn’t figure out how to open the caravan’s bathroom door (“Try sliding it!” Janette eventually suggested, before both women collapsed in fits of laughter). The ’80s-themed gala saw her performing on stage in full retro gear, though she paid for the enthusiasm with a knee injury that sidelined her for five days.
Asked if she’d consider being The Golden Bachelorette, she doesn’t hesitate. “Would I love to have my choice of 20 men? It’s not such a bad thing! Surely I’d have to find one out of 20!” she laughs.
Family brings its own rewards. Janette is the proud mother of two adult sons, aged 28 and 30, and recently celebrated a new milestone when she became a grandmother. Now 11-months old, the girl she calls her “little gem,” has brought fresh joy to her life. Back at home, three dogs and a cat ensure there’s never a dull moment in what she cheerfully describes as her sometimes chaotic household.
“Right now I just feel in a really, really good place,” Janette says with quiet confidence.
For someone who went on television looking for love, Janette Bendle found it in unexpected forms – in the sisterhood of women who became family, in the peninsula community that holds her steady, and in the quiet satisfaction of helping others find their strength through Pilates. Sometimes the best love stories are the ones we don’t see coming.
Follow Janette on Instagram.
IG @janettebenditwithbendle
Peninsula Essence January 2026