Tag: rushed

Amanda Goff, previously known under the moniker Samantha X, retired from high-end escorting more than two years ago in the hopes of leading a ‘normal’ life.

But on Tuesday, the 50-year-old announced she’s available for bookings while revealing her shock career change.

Known as Australia’s most high-profile escort, Amanda has officially begun her career as a certified Bondi Beach Pilates instructor.

‘It’s taken 100 supervised teaching hours, 100 practice hours, 100 observation and LOADS of online work and digging deep to find my confidence,’ Amanda announced on Instagram. 

‘And Just Like That, I taught my first ever proper REAL LIFE reformer class today at Movement Collective AU.’ 

Her newly opened studio, named Bum Bums Pilates — not to be confused with Bondi Beach Bums Pilates down the road — has its own Instagram page which can also be used to book one-on-one sessions with the public figure. 

Continuing her post, Amanda joked the name was ‘on brand’.  

‘If you want to learn how to move your body, strengthen your core and need to ease back pain – DM and I’ll book you in!’ the caption ended. 

Pilates is a system of repetitive mind-body exercises performed on a map or other equipment and designed to improve strength, stability, and flexibility. 

It’s also the latest fitness craze to sweep fitness-mad Sydney, particularly Bondi, along with boxing classes and run clubs.  

In the first post shared on her businesses’ social media page, Amanda wrote: ‘I’m 50, I’m not particularly flexible, I can’t touch my toes, am not an ex dancer or model, and if it’s fancy moves in nude active wear you’re looking for, you’ve come to the wrong place.’

She wrote that her studio will be targeted at women over the age of 40 and will specialise in helping with ‘pelvic floor, hip issues, back pain, mental health and connection.’ 

In the vulnerable post, Amanda didn’t skimp on the details when she admitted that the exercise ‘changed [her] life.’ 

‘It helps me stay sober. It’s made me leaner, fitter, stronger. It give me joy. It helped me leave my old industry and find my tribe. I can’t wait to help you.’ 

The drastic lifestyle change comes after Amanda was rushed to hospital with a ‘life threatening’ condition in August. 

The author shared an update to Instagram from her hospital bed after succumbing to the condition. 

In her caption, Amanda, who was in the midst of her Pilates teaching course, revealed that she had been diagnosed with Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia (NSVT). 

According to Very Well Health, NSVT is an ‘abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that starts in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricle)’. 

The condition becomes dangerous when it also develops into Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) which is a ‘heart rhythm disorder that causes a very fast or erratic heartbeat’, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

She explained that she had both issues and had to undergo surgery at St Vincent’s hospital in Sydney.  

‘Guys this is a SUPER IMPORTANT post for you. I have been diagnosed with a heart condition NSVT / SVT.  It’s serious, it’s life threatening and it’s treatable,’ she wrote in her caption. 

‘It’s all happened very fast – diagnosed Friday, in surgery Monday. NEVER ignore any symptoms. Mine were feeling faint and almost blacking out after exercise.’

She continued: ‘I was supposed to be on a plane to Canada today. Instead I am in St Vincent’s cardiac ward. NSVT is the cause of sudden death and cardiac arrests. 

‘I am blessed I found this out before not after. My body knew something wasn’t right, so I got it checked out. If there is anything you can take from this is never ignore what your body is telling you. 

‘Ladies – PLS don’t dismiss feeling faint as hormones or period etc etc. If it keeps happening, get it checked out NOW.’

Amanda then explained what the future holds for her in terms of ongoing treatment.  

‘I will be able to lead a completely normal life – worst case scenario a defibrillator, best case meds,’ she said.

Last year, Amanda revealed she was suffering from an alcohol problem in the height of escort career.

The blonde would down a bottle of champagne on a night out, black out, cause chaos and wake up the next day wanting to die.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Australia last December, she said her relationship with alcohol went on for 10 years – but that the ‘last three or four’ were ridiculous.

‘When I did drink I would cause absolute chaos. I would get blackout drunk every time and honestly I don’t know how I am still alive,’ she said.

She would wake up with strange bruises and a patchwork memory of the night before.

‘I would be aggressive and start fights – I was completely dead inside,’ she said.

She was consumed by toxic thoughts and would suffer through hangovers for days – each time promising it was the last.

Only to wind up in the same position a week later.

‘I didn’t wake up and have a drink. I was a binge drinker. Toward the end I would drink almost every weekend,’ she said.

Goff said her friends and family knew she had an alcohol problem before she did and were really worried for her.

She caught on and noticed other people she knew with similar party animal ways were dying, by suicide and because of some horrific accident.

‘I knew my life would end in tragedy if I kept drinking and it petrified me. I didn’t want to die and felt like I was losing control of my life,’ she said.

‘I also didn’t want to be the 60-year-old propping up the bar.’

Amanda, who was still working as Samantha X at the time, tried on and off for six months but couldn’t kick her party girl habit.

‘I was afraid I would never have a good social life or fun again. But that was an illusion. No one cares what is in your glass,’ she said.

‘So I kept going back to it.’ 

Then one day she woke up in a Melbourne hotel room – looked across at the window and ‘realised why they don’t open’.

‘I was hungover and felt the urge to jump,’ she said.

She said she was drinking to ‘deal with decisions’ she had made.

‘Alcohol is really hard to give up on with will power alone. it is the most addictive, dangerous and widely available drug in the world.’

She called her friend that day and she took her to a 12 step recovery meeting.

It has been five years and she hasn’t picked up alcohol since.

‘I didn’t want to die. In reality I could have committed suicide, been hit by a car or gone off with someone at any time,’ she said.

Amanda never had to go to rehab or hospital because of her alcohol habit but admits she probably would have ended up there if she hadn’t stuck to the program.

In recovery she learned to face the problems she had been trying to numb out with alcohol.

Once she had been clean for a few years her psychologist was also able to diagnose her with bipolar. She explained people with bi-polar often turn to drugs and alcohol as a form of self-medication because it stops them from feeling all of their feelings.

‘I couldn’t bear to be with myself. I couldn’t change my life and I didn’t know what was wrong with me,’ she said.

‘I was a mess and I feel really sad for the person I was.’

Amanda believes she is a better person inside and out since ditching booze.

‘I used to have a huge temper but haven’t raised my voice in years,’ she said proudly.

‘I make better choices now.’

Amanda says people ‘all have something’ they are addicted to.

‘Whether it is shopping, sex, exercise, drugs, alcohol, work it is always to mask whatever is going on in the inside.’ 

In 2022, Amanda told Stellar Magazine that she is ‘ashamed’ of her former career and has changed her ways after being diagnosed with bipolar II disorder.

‘Now the fog has started to clear, I am ashamed of some of my choices, especially about going public,’ she said. 

‘I don’t recognise the woman who did that and it’s mortifying for me.’ 

She went on: ‘I am not blaming my bipolar or saying it was all down to my bipolar at all. But would I have made those choices if I was diagnosed and medicated? Most likely I wouldn’t have been so public about it’. 

Amanda says that creating her alter ego Samantha X ‘was a way of dealing with certain trauma in my life’ and she felt she was ‘acting’ when engaging that side of herself. 

‘So there you go, you can be fit, booze free and all the rest, but never, ever be complacent. Get checked out NOW if you have a sneaking suspicion something is wrong. Your body doesn’t lie.

‘Thank you to Dr Jordan McGrath from NSW Cardiology & Prof Rajesh Subbiah at St Vincent’s Clinic.’