A former triple j star opens up with a heartfelt life update
Bryce Mills, best known for his time on triple j, has publicly shared a deeply personal update with his followers. After stepping away from the triple j breakfast show in June 2024 due to burnout and ongoing mental-health challenges, Mills had largely kept a low profile on social media. He broke that quiet on Tuesday night with a poignant post on Instagram, revealing that the past few months have been marked by the loss of two loved ones.
“It’s been a year since I left my safe and financially stable radio job—a leap of faith I knew was part of taking a real risk,” Mills wrote. “But I couldn’t keep ignoring the voice in my head urging me to stop playing it safe and take a chance on myself.”
He described progressive relief in his creativity after making the change, noting that some of the physical symptoms he had grown used to—such as eye twitching and vertigo—began to fade away.
Mills also shared that he had been finishing an unfinished documentary from 2024, which he eventually released on YouTube in May. He said he was excited to feel a renewed wave of creative energy.
Tragedy struck soon after, though, when a paramedic contacted him with devastating news about his mother’s death. “She would’ve turned 62 today,” he wrote.
A month later came more heartbreak: his lifelong stepfather fell into a coma and, a week after that, Mills learned he would not wake up. “And so again I found myself in the same place, in the same room, saying goodbye to another parent who passed far too soon and far too suddenly.”
Mills decided to share his story online to spare himself the need to recount it repeatedly in real life. He explained that friends often ask what he’s up to after leaving triple j, and the choice is either dodging the question with a vague reply or blunt honesty that can trigger apologies and awkwardness. He chose honesty.
In his post, Mills invited colleagues and potential collaborators to reach out, emphasizing that he’s still open to new projects or discussions as a reason to get out of the house and think about something different. He closed by offering support to others who are grieving and thanking everyone for their patience as he processes the events of the year.
The message drew an outpouring of support from well-known figures in the media, including Mitch Churi, Nic Kelly, Jack Post, Liam Stapleton, and Belle Jackson, who left messages on his Instagram.
If you’d like to engage with Bryce Mills’ story or share your own experiences with grief and career changes, feel free to join the conversation in the comments.
