Barry’s Bootcamp is marketed as a high-energy refuge where Sydney’s fitness crowd can burn off stress.

Yet beneath the red lights and booming music of the so-called Red Room, tensions are reportedly building. A controversial appointment and a series of instructor exits have put the premium fitness chain under renewed scrutiny.

The company has recruited Ash Ruscoe, the former partner of Olympic boxing champion Harry Garside, as it contends with an apparent exodus of Sydney-based trainers.

Ruscoe’s addition to the Sydney coaching team has prompted concern among some long-serving staff. She previously pleaded guilty to domestic violence-related offences, and the decision to hire her is understood to have been questioned internally.

The appointment follows the back-to-back departures of two of Barry’s most recognisable Sydney instructors. One referred to concerns about the company’s culture, while the other attributed the end of his seven-year run teaching Saturday classes to “management and business needs”.

A Barry’s insider told the Mail that the exits were connected to Ruscoe’s appointment, which is understood to have unsettled a number of trainers.

The dispute has prompted current and former instructors to speculate about working conditions at the boutique gym chain, with the discussion now extending to Reddit.

Ruscoe first attracted widespread attention after an altercation involving Garside at a Bellevue Hill property in March 2023.

The incident led to a closely followed legal case, although the initial domestic assault allegations against Garside were later withdrawn.

Ruscoe subsequently faced charges including common assault, stalking or intimidation, and distributing intimate images.

In late 2024, she pleaded guilty at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court to domestic violence-related assault and stalking or intimidation.

She was given a 12-month conditional release order without conviction and placed under a two-year apprehended domestic violence order.

When the Daily Mail sought comment in July 2023, Ruscoe avoided questions by running down Park Street in Sydney’s CBD.

Barry’s has cultivated an image of exclusive, high-end fitness, drawing an affluent membership base and employing trainers who have developed celebrity-style profiles of their own.

Now, beneath the signature red lighting, relentless playlists and gruelling treadmill workouts, Barry’s is facing difficult questions over staff morale and its workplace culture.

The Daily Mail has approached Barry’s Australia multiple times for comment.

In September, veteran trainer Nicole Swift (née Christey) announced in an Instagram Story that she was leaving Barry’s Australia ‘for good’, adding a cheeky ‘for real this time lol’.

But it was her explanation that really caught the attention of fellow instructors.

‘I cannot continue to align myself with a brand that has allowed certain behaviours and actions to take place,’ she wrote.

‘After a lot of thought, I’ve realised that I can’t continue to be part of a business when I no longer feel that alignment exists.’

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Swift did not name anyone or specify the conduct she was referring to. However, the Mail understands her concerns about the company were linked to Ruscoe’s hiring.

Her post was subsequently circulated among fellow trainers, prompting speculation about what had led her to walk away.

After the Mail reported on her departure, Swift took to Instagram to criticise the article, describing it as ‘trash’ and questioning why the publication had contacted her for comment.

Days later, another popular instructor delivered a blow to his loyal Saturday-morning following, revealing he would no longer be teaching the weekend sessions after more than seven years with the business.

‘Unfortunately I won’t be teaching anyone ever again on Saturdays for a @barrysaustralia session,’ he wrote.

‘This is due to “management and business needs”.’

‘Wild to me seeing as I’ve done the same Saturday classes for over seven years.’

The trainer, described by one longtime fan as ‘a legend’, has since landed a new gig at buzzy Pilates studio Body by Berner, where he is set to become its first male instructor.

The departures have intensified concerns about the atmosphere inside Barry’s Australia, although neither instructor has publicly detailed the full circumstances behind their exit.

Meanwhile, Barry’s Melbourne operation has been attracting attention of its own, with its South Yarra studio at the centre of questions about staff dynamics.

The studio is managed by Ariel Kaplan, the former Neighbours and The Saddle Club actress who swapped Ramsay Street for the Red Room.

Kaplan has faced questions from the Mail about concerns reportedly raised by staff over the appointment of a trainer who has since left Barry’s and moved to another gym in Perth.

We understand the recruitment decision was among the issues discussed by staff, although the full circumstances remain unclear.

When contacted last month, Kaplan was not willing to discuss the matter.

‘I have nothing to say,’ she said before abruptly ending the call.

There is no suggestion Kaplan has been accused of any personal wrongdoing, nor is there any indication the issues at the Melbourne and Sydney gyms are connected.

In a recently deleted Reddit thread discussing the behind-the-scenes drama at Barry’s, one user wrote: ‘There is one trainer in particular that has a little posse of clients / loyalists who thinks she’s top s*** because she has an almost monopoly of peak times slots. [She] brags about how full her classes are to members and tries to benchmark herself to other trainers who have less desirable slots that their classes “should be as full as hers”.’

Founded in Los Angeles in 1998, Barry’s Bootcamp has become an international fitness institution, with its signature combination of high-intensity treadmill work, strength training and nightclub-style lighting attracting a devoted following.

Its Australian studios have become a favourite among influencers, socialites and the well-heeled fitness crowd.

But with longtime instructors walking away and concerns mounting over staff morale, the brand’s carefully polished image is beginning to crack.

The Prime Minister has been accused of leaving the way open to another divisive Scottish independence referendum after refusing to rule out a vote during his time in office.

Speaking at a major address in Motherwell, Andy Burnham stopped short of rejecting the possibility of a second referendum, saying instead that his own position on independence “won’t be changing”.

The speech was Mr Burnham’s first major address in Scotland since he became Prime Minister. He delivered it at New College Lanarkshire’s Motherwell campus, which stands on the former Ravenscraig steelworks site.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay accused Mr Burnham of once again creating an opportunity for First Minister John Swinney to press for another independence vote.

“During his rare trip to Scotland, Andy Burnham should have been backing new [North Sea] drilling,” Mr Findlay said. “Instead, he was talking at length about theoretical constitutional arrangements and procedures. This is a huge distraction that will not create one job, aside from providing more work for the boys.”

A source close to the First Minister said Mr Swinney was “surprised” that the Prime Minister had not given a firm commitment to rule out another referendum.

Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn described the remarks as a “very significant moment in Scotland’s constitutional journey”.

After the speech, journalists asked Mr Burnham whether he would exclude the possibility of a second Scottish independence referendum for the entire period of his premiership.

He said he supported unions in every form, including trade unions, and argued that countries were stronger when they worked together. In his view, cooperation allows nations to face an increasingly difficult world with greater confidence.

Mr Burnham said he had already made his position known to Scottish First Minister John Swinney, while acknowledging that the two men disagreed. He urged both sides to recognise that difference and concentrate on areas where they could work together.

“My view won’t be changing,” he said, before calling for attention to shift towards issues where progress could be made.

Mr Flynn said the exchange showed that the Prime Minister had been asked directly about ruling out an independence referendum but had chosen not to do so.

He argued that Mr Burnham may have avoided a definitive refusal because it would appear hypocritical to support debate on a possible second referendum on European Union membership while denying Scottish voters a similar discussion about their constitutional future.

Mr Flynn added that the Prime Minister had again indicated he was not fundamentally opposed to a second independence referendum, building on previous comments made in the House of Commons. He said the position marked a “very significant moment” in Scotland’s constitutional debate.

In the Commons last month, Mr Burnham said the conditions for holding a second Scottish independence referendum should be “exactly the same” as those that would apply to a referendum on Irish reunification.

He subsequently appeared to take a firmer stance, describing a second Scottish independence referendum as “off limits”.

Mr Burnham’s visit coincided with the SNP’s annual conference in Aberdeen.

His speech centred on expanding devolution in Scotland. He called for an end to the “tribal politics” often seen between Holyrood and Westminster and urged Mr Swinney to look beyond the constitutional dispute, focusing instead on “solutions for people right now”.

Mr Burnham also described Scotland as “one of the most centralised nations in Europe” and called for significantly greater devolution north of the border.

He said: ‘Devolution was never supposed to stop at the doors of the Scottish Parliament.’

Mr Burnham said he would set out plans for a ‘new deal’ for regional economic development in the coming months. The proposals are expected to include an offer of further devolution from the Department for Work and Pensions.

He also called on Mr Swinney to transfer more powers from Holyrood to local areas.

The Scottish Government announced plans last month to overhaul regional governance, replacing the current 32 local authorities with six new regional authorities.

However, details of how the proposed system would operate have yet to be released. Trade unions and SNP councillors have raised concerns that the changes could reduce local accountability.

Mr Swinney said he was willing to work with the Prime Minister if he devolved more powers to Scotland.

He said: ‘I’m all for the Scottish Parliament having as many powers as it possibly can do, and I’ll work constructively to make sure we bring all those powers to Scotland.’

Mr Flynn also said Mr Swinney had written to the Prime Minister this week seeking greater powers for Holyrood, with employability powers listed at number seven on the list of requests.

Sam Wood’s transformation from The Bachelor favourite to fitness millionaire has been overshadowed by angry business partners, legal battles, tax troubles and allegations that he copied competitors’ recipes.

The former reality television star is currently being held in a Queensland jail while awaiting trial over domestic violence allegations involving his wife, Snezana. Meanwhile, fresh details are shedding light on the disputes that followed the growth of his health and fitness empire.

Wood sold his 28 by Sam Wood platform to Melbourne billionaire Dennis Bastas in 2022. The business was valued at more than $70 million, with Wood reportedly walking away from the deal with $15 million.

However, court records and past controversies suggest the road to that lucrative exit was considerably more complicated than it initially appeared.

Court documents obtained by Daily Mail detail one particularly bitter dispute with Loup, the company that helped launch Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth’s Centr fitness platform. The commercial partnership between Loup and Wood broke down in September 2016.

At the heart of the disagreement were allegations that Loup, which was then known as The Health Consultancy, wanted to expand the 28 platform by bringing in other influencers and celebrities.

Sources who spoke to The Age’s Fiona Byrne said Wood insisted he remain the sole public face of the brand.

After about eight months of negotiations, the two parties agreed to go their separate ways.

What began as an amicable separation soon descended into a bitter legal battle.

Wood took Loup to the County Court of Victoria, alleging the company had failed to properly oversee posts in a Facebook group, used its customer database to promote influencer Tiffiny Hall’s competing TiffXO program and refused to provide exercise videos free of legal restrictions. He also claimed Loup attempted to charge him $50,000 for the assets.

The documents indicated Wood was also frustrated that Loup continued using his name and referring to his “crew” after he had left the business.

Loup rejected all of the allegations and launched a counterclaim. The company said Wood paid $425,000 when the partnership ended but failed to make four subsequent monthly payments of $100,000, leaving an alleged shortfall of $400,000.

Under the original agreement, Loup was tasked with capitalising on Wood’s profile from The Bachelor, negotiating with Channel 10 to relax commercial restrictions on his name and developing the online training venture.

Wood was to retain a 60 per cent share of the business, while Loup would own the remaining 40 per cent.

Wood argued he was not required to pay the outstanding money because of what he alleged were Loup’s contractual breaches.

The dispute was eventually resolved out of court. However, one source told Byrne the settlement was “less than satisfactory” for Loup.

The two parties no longer maintain an ongoing relationship.

It was not the only legal war Wood has been embroiled in.

In 2018, Melbourne businessmen George Moraitis and Jim Angelopoulos launched action in the Supreme Court of Victoria, claiming Wood had reneged on a deal that would have given them a 25 per cent stake in the 28 platform.

The men said they began work in July 2016 building the website, app and backend while Wood remained the public face.

But by November 2017, the partnership had collapsed.

Despite repeated requests, they claimed Wood refused to transfer the shares and cut them out completely after they had ‘worked long hours and well above and beyond’ normal employee expectations.

Wood denied any share agreement existed, insisting the pair were only entitled to 25 per cent of net profit after tax while they provided management services.

He dismissed their use of the word ‘partner’ on business cards as purely ‘colloquial’.

The case was listed for a two-week trial in March 2019 before it was ‘dismissed by consent’.

Adding to the growing list of controversies, Wood’s platform was also accused in 2018 of publishing recipes almost identical to those of rival fitness duo Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw’s Keep It Cleaner program.

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A leaked internal email from 28’s creative and social manager Keira Rae reportedly showed her bragging that she ‘went in and downloaded all their good recipes … idiots xx’, complete with a link to a KIC chocolate fudge recipe, the Daily Telegraph reported then.

28’s almond butter nut cups closely mirrored KIC’s choc nut cups – which first appeared on the rival blog in 2016 – with only minor differences in name and recommended butter.

Leaked emails to the Telegraph also revealed staff had been trawling through Michelle Bridges’ 12WBT site for ideas.

Bridges had risen to fame as a tough-love trainer on The Biggest Loser in 2007 before appearing in various reality television programs. 

Smith, who had considered Wood a mate, told The Daily Telegraph at the time: ‘We didn’t want to believe it, but after seeing the imagery and method and recipes themselves, it’s blatantly obvious.’

Henshaw said they had spent hours developing and testing the recipe on their families: ‘We developed the choc nut cup recipe a year-and-a-half ago… which is what makes it so disheartening.’

Wood responded that his nutritionist and chef created the version after members requested it, having noticed KIC’s earlier recipe. 

He also posted a private Facebook message to his community addressing the claims.

Moving forward to November last year, Wood was embroiled in a tax evasion scandal.

The Deputy Commissioner of Taxation launched civil action against Wood in the County Court of Victoria seeking more than $7million in allegedly unpaid money for the tax periods ending June 30, 2022, June 30, 2023 and June 30, 2024. 

According to documents lodged with the court, the total amount of unpaid tax and interest charges due to the ATO was $7,349,264.86, the Herald Sun reported then. 

In February, with the matter set to land back in court, Wood claimed the ‘majority’ of the tax bill had been paid.

‘My lawyer has been in correspondence with the ATO regularly regarding the final payment being made,’ Wood told the publication.

Just days ago, it was revealed Wood planned to sell the couple’s multimillion-dollar Brighton home. 

The Woods bought the home for $7.15million in an off-market deal in September last year.

On Friday, it was revealed the couple could be set to lose more than $1million on it after listing the Brighton mansion for less than they paid for it.

The Hanby St home appeared online with a $6.5million-$7.15million asking price.

The five-bedroom house features a pool, tennis court, and spa and is on a 1,290sqm block.

In 2025, the Woods sold their Elsternwick house after putting it on the market with $6.6million price expectations.

However, the five-bedroom residence changed hands for $6.125million.

As it stands, Wood has far more serious issues to contend with. 

The 46-year-old was this week transferred from Brisbane Correctional Centre to nearby Wolston Correctional Centre. 

Wolston is a high-security facility which accommodates male protection prisoners who cannot be kept in the general prison population because their crimes or profiles make them particularly vulnerable.

Among its current residents are schoolboy Daniel Morcombe’s killer Brett Peter Cowan, and Gerard Baden-Clay, the Brisbane real estate agent jailed for the premeditated murder of his wife, Allison.

Another of Wood’s new neighbours is former childcare worker Ashley Griffith, who is serving a minimum of 27 years in jail for more than 300 sex crimes against children, most of them girls aged between three and five.

Wood has been behind bars since October 3 when he was arrested at Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast over the alleged attack on his wife.