Former reality television personality Sam Wood has made a formal bid for bail in the Queensland Supreme Court after being charged with choking and assault offences following an alleged domestic incident.
The 46-year-old Melbourne-based fitness influencer, who rose to national prominence as the star of the third season of The Bachelor Australia, was taken into custody last month by Queensland Police following an alleged disturbance at a holiday apartment complex in Noosa Heads.
Supreme Court bail application lodged
Lawyers representing Mr Wood have now filed an application for Supreme Court bail in Brisbane, ABC News Australia reported. The matter is scheduled to be heard in the coming weeks as his legal representatives seek his release from custody pending committal proceedings.
Under Queensland criminal procedure, bail applications for serious charges or contested domestic matters are frequently referred to the Supreme Court when bail has been refused in the Magistrates Court. Details of the proposed release terms, including any potential residential constraints, travel bans, or financial sureties, have not yet been disclosed to the public.
Sunshine Coast arrest and allegations
Mr Wood was apprehended in late March following police attendance at an apartment block in the popular tourist destination of Noosa, situated on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Officers formally charged the high-profile fitness entrepreneur with offences including choking, suffocation or strangulation in a domestic relationship, alongside assault occasioning bodily harm, according to reporting by the national broadcaster.
The identity of the alleged victim cannot be disclosed under Queensland statutory protections, which strictly forbid the naming of complainants in matters concerning alleged domestic and sexual violence. Queensland Police have refrained from releasing further operational specifics regarding the nature of the confrontation.
Television profile and commercial enterprise
Mr Wood's arrest marks a striking development for one of the country's most prominent lifestyle and fitness personalities. He first gained national recognition in 2015 when he starred in Network Ten’s flagship romantic franchise, cultivating a wholesome public image as a dedicated personal trainer.
Following his television tenure, he built an expansive commercial wellness portfolio, fronted by his subscription-based online training and nutrition platform, 28 by Sam Wood. The enterprise was acquired by genetic testing and wellness firm myDNA in 2022 in a deal valued at more than $70 million, with Mr Wood retained in an executive and promotional capacity.
In the years since, the Melbourne father has remained a prolific media contributor, publishing multiple health titles, hosting commercial podcasts, and making regular appearances across television networks and commercial radio.
Domestic violence provisions under Queensland law
The primary charge facing Mr Wood—choking, suffocation or strangulation in a domestic setting—carries considerable gravity under Queensland jurisprudence. The standalone offence was legislated into the Criminal Code in 2016 following recommendations from the landmark Not Now, Not Ever taskforce inquiry into domestic and family violence.
The offence carries a statutory maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment, reflecting judicial and legislative recognition of non-fatal strangulation as a critical lethality indicator within interpersonal relationships. Courts across the state routinely adhere to strict thresholds when weighing bail applications in contested matters involving alleged violent acts.
The Supreme Court in Brisbane is expected to determine the bail application later this month.
