Ajay Rochester was once one of the most recognisable faces on Australian television.But almost two decades after becoming a household name as the original host of The Biggest Loser, the 57-year-old has revealed the toll fame took on her, admitting she spent years feeling ‘worthless and disrespected’ before rebuilding her life in Hollywood.Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail from her Beverly Hills home as she prepared to attend the Emmy Awards, Ajay reflected on the extraordinary highs and lows of her Australian television career and why she ultimately found a new sense of purpose thousands of kilometres away.’I spent a couple of years really, really traumatised. Like, felt very not worthwhile,’ she admitted.’I did feel very worthless and disrespected, and it took me a long time to kind of find my own self-worth here.’Ajay said that period came at a particularly confronting time as she watched other well-known Australian women of her generation struggle with the pressures of fame. Ajay Rochester was once one of the most recognisable faces on Australian television. But almost two decades after becoming a household name as the original host of The Biggest Loser, the 57-year-old has revealed the devastating toll fame took on her Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail from her Beverly Hills home as she prepared to attend the Emmy Awards, Ajay reflected on the extraordinary highs and lows of her Australian television career and why she ultimately found a new sense of purpose thousands of kilometres awayShe cited the late Charlotte Dawson and Annalise Braakensiek while reflecting on what she believed happened to women in the entertainment industry as they grew older.’These women were all in my age bracket who were all treated like, “Sorry, you’re not worth anything anymore,” dumped by their talent and treated like crap by the media, and losing their jobs,’ she said.’And it’s just, it’s scary.’Ajay’s relationship with fame had not always been so complicated.She first became a public figure after the success of her book Confessions of a Reformed Dieter before being approached to host The Biggest Loser Australia.’Everybody loved me. Everybody loved my story,’ she recalled.’And then Biggest Loser called and were like, “Do you wanna be the host?” And I went, “Ha ha, good joke.”‘And they were like, “No, no, we’re for real.”‘ ‘I spent a couple of years really, really traumatised. Like, felt very not worthwhile,’ she admitted. ‘I did feel very worthless and disrespected, and it took me a long time to kind of find my own self-worth here’ Ajay said that period came at a particularly confronting time as she watched other well-known Australian women of her generation struggle with the brutal realities of fame The show turned Ajay into a household name, but with that recognition came intense scrutiny.’The Biggest Loser was a trip,’ she said.’There was really good things that happened from it.’She remains grateful for the opportunities the show created, particularly after moving to the United States.’It got me here. I wouldn’t have got my green card if I hadn’t have done that,’ she explained.But while The Biggest Loser opened doors, Ajay said the media attention surrounding her became increasingly relentless.’I had a very love-hate relationship with the media,’ she said.’The first year was great, and then the media changed and, you know, people wrote terrible articles, people were mean, people wrote lies.’ She referenced the late Charlotte Dawson (left) and Annalise Braakensiek (right) while reflecting on the way women in the entertainment industry could suddenly find themselves cast aside ‘These women were all in my age bracket who were all treated like, “Sorry, you’re not worth anything anymore,” dumped by their talent and treated like crap by the media, and losing their jobs,’ she saidAt the height of her fame, Ajay alleged photographers followed her through the streets and targeted her while she was travelling with her young son.’I was getting literally stalked by paparazzi, like chased through streets,’ she said.’I drove through five streets with my son in a car seat, and this guy chasing me, and having to call the cops to tell him to stop.’People going through my trash and knocking on my windows and you’re just like, “Just, can you just leave me alone, please?”‘One particularly painful moment came when photographs of Ajay in swimwear were published as part of a ‘worst beach bodies’ story.’Waking up on Mother’s Day and being in a bikini with worst beach bodies splashed across my face, I cried,’ she said.’I did. I cried more than once.’Eventually, Ajay decided that if photographers were going to pursue her, she wanted more control over the images and an opportunity to make money from them. At the height of her fame, Ajay alleged photographers would follow her through the streets and even target her while she was travelling with her young son One particularly painful moment came when photographs of Ajay in swimwear were published as part of a ‘worst beach bodies’ story. ‘Waking up on Mother’s Day and being on a bikini with worst beach bodies splashed across my face, I cried,’ she said’You know what? I’m gonna take this into my own hands,’ she recalled.’And so I teamed up with some paparazzis and I was like, “All right then, let’s do it. Let’s get some photos.”‘We got together and we took the photos that I had control over, ’cause I knew they were gonna happen anyway, so it was like, well, I better own my body.’She added with a laugh: ‘And we made some good money.’Ajay’s life today could hardly look more different.She now works behind the camera in Hollywood and said her casting credits include reality and survival programs such as Netflix’s Outlast and Naked and Afraid. ‘Now I’m a casting director in Hollywood,’ she said.’Which means I get to cast really cool TV shows, which is really cool.’ Her humble two-bedroom Beverly Hills apartment is filled with reminders of what matters most to her, including a wall covered in framed photos of her beloved cats and dogs Cat TV was even playing in the background during Daily Mail’s visit, showing birds hopping around a garden scene to keep her pets entertainedHer work has also earned her membership of the Television Academy.’I’m a member of the Television Academy, which means I get to vote in the Emmys, and I get to go to the Emmys,’ she explained.For Ajay, attending television’s biggest awards night carries particular significance after the way she felt towards the end of her Australian television career.’It makes me feel respected for the work that I’ve done because you don’t just get to go to the Emmys,’ she said.’You have to submit to become a member of the Television Academy, and they decide whether the body of work is good enough.’Ajay said she now relishes being able to live a relatively anonymous life in America.’I really do like being unfamous,’ she joked. ‘Not infamous, unfamous in America.”There’s really great things about anonymity and living a really normal life, and I really do love it.’ While she has successfully reinvented herself in Los Angeles, Ajay admitted she would happily return to Australia if the right professional opportunity existedDespite living in one of the world’s most glamorous postcodes, Ajay’s home life is decidedly low-key.Her two-bedroom Beverly Hills apartment is filled with reminders of what matters most to her, including a wall covered in framed photos of her beloved cats and dogs. Cat TV was even playing in the background during Daily Mail’s visit, showing birds hopping around a garden scene to keep her pets entertained.It was a glimpse of the quieter existence Rochester has embraced in Hollywood, far removed from the scrutiny she experienced in Australia. While she has successfully reinvented herself in Los Angeles, Ajay admitted she would happily return to Australia if the right professional opportunity existed.’I would love to live in Australia, but there is no work for me there,’ she said.Ajay said she tried to find work in casting while in Australia during the pandemic but believed her public profile made it difficult. ‘You’re too famous to get a real job,’ she said.’I tried to get casting back there when I was in Australia during COVID, and they were just like, “Yeah, we just think that, like, too many people know you.”‘Like, too many people know me for me to do a job I do really, really well.’ ‘You’re too famous to get a real job,’ she said. ‘I tried to get casting back there when I was in Australia during COVID, and they were just like, “Yeah, we just think that, like, too many people know you”Ajay insists she has not turned her back on television entirely.In fact, there is one Australian reality franchise she would jump at the chance to join.’Would I do Traitors? Absolutely,’ she said. ‘I’m absolutely obsessed with Traitors.’She was equally enthusiastic about Dancing With The Stars, while poking fun at herself in trademark Ajay fashion.’I would love to do Dancing with the Stars,’ she said.’Not yet, I’m too fat, again. But, uh, I would love to do that, I just don’t wanna break somebody’s back while I’m doing it.’But The Traitors remains top of her wish list.’Traitors is my big one,’ she said.’I would like to put my hand up to be a fellow old on The Traitors.’Ajay also had a blunt warning for aspiring reality stars who believe their past will remain hidden once they become famous.’If you’ve got skeletons in your closet, if you think that they’re not gonna come out, then you’re an idiot,’ she said.’You’re just stupid, ’cause people will dig.’She joked that social media sleuths were particularly relentless.’The people on the TikTok are very petty,’ she said.’They will dig up your third cousin twice removed who did something heinous, and you were there in the background, and you will be outed.’ Ajay insists she has not turned her back on television entirely. In fact, there is one Australian reality franchise she would jump at the chance to join. ‘Would I do Traitors? Absolutely,’ she said. ‘I’m absolutely obsessed with Traitors’According to Ajay, the secret to being cast on a reality show is far more straightforward than many hopefuls might realise.’You gotta have a story. Everybody has a story,’ she said.’You have to know yourself, who you are.’You have to be able to speak well and in soundbites.’And when it comes to dating shows, she admitted appearance still plays a significant role.’If it’s a dating show, you probably have to be pretty attractive,’ she said.’Eighty-five per cent of casting, unfortunately, is very swayed towards that.’Away from work, life in Beverly Hills has also resulted in some surreal celebrity encounters.Ajay recalled unexpectedly meeting Jamie Lee Curtis near her home.’I was like, “Oh my God, Jamie Lee Curtis, I freaking love all of your work,”‘ she said.’And then [she] came up, she goes, “Give me a hug.”‘Ajay said the Hollywood star opened up to her about having a difficult day.’She shared a story how it really made a difference in her day that day. She’d been going through something really bad.’We had a little chat, we had another little hug, and it was really cute.’Another unforgettable encounter came when she met Jodie Foster.’She was lovely. She’s tiny,’ Ajay said.’That was a real pinch me moment.’Ajay, who grew up in the tiny Northern Rivers town of Mummulgum, said the meeting left her contemplating the extraordinary direction her life had taken.’I grew up in a little town called Mummulgum, population 501 and 5,000 kangaroos,’ she joked.’When I got to meet Jodie Foster, I was just like, “What am I doing here? How did I get here?”‘Despite previously having a fraught relationship with Australian television, Ajay said she would never completely rule out returning to the network where she became a star.Asked whether she would take a call from Channel 10, she replied: ‘I’ll always take phone calls, always, right? ‘Cause, like, I’m not stupid.”Television can be great, and I think now that I’ve got more experience with it, you can handle it.’I’ve got a thicker skin, I don’t really care what people write about me.’For now, however, Ajay has no shortage of projects keeping her occupied.Alongside her casting work, Ajay said she is writing films and trying to get her feature The Beef Queen off the ground, with Australian director Nadia Tass attached to the project. She even has a particular Australian star in mind for one of its major roles.’Rebel Wilson, we need you to read it,’ she pleaded.’We’re trying to get it into Rebel’s hands.”Come on, Rebel. It’s a really good role. You play the villain.’Ajay revealed the role had actually been written with Rebel in mind.’We wrote it for her,’ she said.After years in front of the camera, Ajay said she is now fulfilled by the career she has built behind the scenes.’I am a busy girl,’ she added.’I’m writing movies. I’m writing that. I’m casting shows.”Just being super creative and being happy and fulfilled, ’cause being creative is what makes me happy.’Then, with perfect timing, she laughed: ‘That’s my boyfriend. For now.’