Bachelor star Sam Wood denied bail as police allege he choked wife until she ‘thought she would die’ | Queensland | The Guardian  (sam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb.html)   (../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/manifest.json)  (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon.svg) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-512.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-360.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-240.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-120.png) (../../../../../static.guim.co.uk/images/favicon-32x32.ico) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/) (https://i.guim.co.uk) (https://j.ophan.co.uk) (https://ophan.theguardian.com) (https://sourcepoint.theguardian.com) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/) (https://i.guim.co.uk) (https://j.ophan.co.uk) (https://ophan.theguardian.com) (https://api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk) (https://hits-secure.theguardian.com) (https://interactive.guim.co.uk) (https://static.theguardian.com) (https://support.theguardian.com) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/fonts/guardian-headline/noalts-not-hinted/GHGuardianHeadline-Bold.woff2) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/fonts/guardian-textegyptian/noalts-not-hinted/GuardianTextEgyptian-Regular.woff2)                                  (../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/css/print.css)  (sam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb.html#maincontent) Skip to main content (sam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb.html#navigation) Skip to navigation (Close [ESC or Q])   Close dialogue  1 / 1   (Next image [→])   Next image  (Previous image [←])   Previous image  (Toggle caption [i])   Toggle caption                         (https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=undefined&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D) Print subscriptions   (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters   (https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header)   Sign in        US  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us) US edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk) UK edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au) Australia edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/eur) Europe edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int) International edition      (https://www.theguardian.com/) The Guardian - Back to home             The Guardian    (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Show more    Hide expanded menu       News (https://www.theguardian.com/) View all News  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) US politics  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-midterm-elections-2026) Midterms 2026  (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World news  (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) Climate crisis  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) Ukraine  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/usimmigration) US immigration  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/business) Business  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/environment) Environment  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/technology) Tech  (https://www.theguardian.com/science) Science  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters  (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness      Opinion (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) View all Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial) The Guardian view  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/columnists) Columnists  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters) Letters  (https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment) Opinion videos  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/cartoons) Cartoons      Sport (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) View all Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nfl) NFL  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis) Tennis  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/mlb) MLB  (https://www.theguardian.com/football/mls) MLS  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nba) NBA  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/wnba) WNBA  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nhl) NHL  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/formulaone) F1  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/golf) Golf      Culture (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) View all Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/film) Film  (https://www.theguardian.com/books) Books  (https://www.theguardian.com/music) Music  (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign) Art & design  (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio) TV & radio  (https://www.theguardian.com/stage) Stage  (https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera) Classical  (https://www.theguardian.com/games) Games  (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/series/design-a-better-world) Design a better world      Lifestyle (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) View all Lifestyle  (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness  (https://www.theguardian.com/fashion) Fashion  (https://www.theguardian.com/food) Food  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes) Recipes  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex) Love & sex  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden) Home & garden  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing) Health & fitness  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/family) Family  (https://www.theguardian.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.theguardian.com/money) Money    Search input  (Search the Guardian)  google-search   Search       (www.theguardian.com)      (https://support.theguardian.com?acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D&INTCMP=side_menu_support) Support us  (https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=undefined&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D) Print subscriptions  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters  (https://app.adjust.com/1hskf6nd?adgroup=USHeader) Download the app   (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital Archive  (https://licensing.theguardian.com/) Guardian Licensing  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_us_header_dropdown) Live events  (https://www.theguardian.com/about) About Us  (https://app.adjust.com/16xt6hai) The Guardian app  (https://www.theguardian.com/video) Video  (https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts) Podcasts  (https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures) Pictures  (https://www.theguardian.com/insidetheguardian) Inside the Guardian  (https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_US) Guardian Weekly  (https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords) Crosswords  (https://www.wordiply.com) Wordiply  (https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/series/corrections-and-clarifications) Corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tips    Search input  (Search the Guardian)  google-search   Search       (www.theguardian.com)   (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital Archive  (https://licensing.theguardian.com/) Guardian Licensing  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_us_header_dropdown) Live events  (https://www.theguardian.com/about) About Us         (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) Europe  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) Americas  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) Asia  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) Australia   (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) Africa  (https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) Inequality  (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) Global development                      (Fitness influencer and former reality TV star Sam Wood has appeared in a Queensland court on domestic violence charges.)          Fitness influencer and former reality TV star Sam Wood has appeared in a Queensland court on domestic violence charges. Photograph: Sam Tabone/WireImage     (sam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb.html#img-1)   View image in fullscreen       Fitness influencer and former reality TV star Sam Wood has appeared in a Queensland court on domestic violence charges. Photograph: Sam Tabone/WireImage       (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/queensland) Queensland     Bachelor star Sam Wood denied bail as police allege he choked wife until she ‘thought she would die’   Court hears police attended Wood’s Victorian home over a similar allegation about three years ago, but Snezana Wood had not complained then out of ‘fear of retribution’ Get our (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl) breaking news email , (https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3) free app or (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl) daily news podcast            (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/ben-smee) Ben Smee   Thu 8 Oct 2026 01.58 EDT  Last modified on Thu 8 Oct 2026 07.17 EDT   (mailto:?subject=Bachelor star Sam Wood denied bail as police allege he choked wife until she ‘thought she would die’&body=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/08/sam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url) Share          (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Prefer the Guardian on Google          The wife of former Bachelor star Sam Wood told police she “thought she was going to die” after he allegedly choked and assaulted her, a (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/queensland) Queensland court heard on Thursday.  The court also heard that police in Victoria had attended Wood’s home in relation to a similar incident about three years ago, but that his wife, Snezana Wood, had not wanted to make a complaint at that time out of “fear of retribution”. Sam Wood, a 46-year-old wellness influencer from Melbourne, was denied bail in a Queensland court on Thursday and will be held in custody indefinitely awaiting trial, after police argued his behaviour was “escalating” and that he posed an unacceptable risk.  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/05/sam-wood-charged-domestic-violence-ntwnfb)  Former Bachelor star Sam Wood charged with domestic violence      Read more        Wood appeared in court via video link from the Maroochydore police watch house cells, where he had been held for about four days. He was arrested at Noosa on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday and charged with two domestic violence offences: assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting.  In outlining the prosecution case, police prosecutor Jeanette Grigoris said the brief of evidence included a triple zero call made by a family member and photographs of Snezana Wood’s injuries. (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=copyembed&CMP=emailbutton) Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email   Grigoris said Snezana Wood was supportive of the charges proceeding. Sam Wood’s lawyer has indicated the reality TV star will fight the charges. The court heard that Snezana Wood alleges she was choked and that “there was a cessation of breath”. “She articulates the banging of her head on the floor. She couldn’t breathe,” Grigoris said. “She thought she was going to die.” Grigoris said Snezana also detailed a previous matter in (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/victoria) Victoria “being of a similar nature” and “involved choking”. Sam Wood denied that any previous incident had taken place in Victoria. Grigoris said there was body-worn camera footage of police attending his home and a police report in relation to that incident.  Grigoris said Snezana Wood “did not make any criminal complaints on that occasion, she was in fear of retribution of the defendant.” Grigoris also raised concern that Sam Wood, during his police interview, minimised his part in the alleged offending, and minimised the injuries suffered by his wife. “He’s essentially victim blamed,” she said. Sam Wood’s lawyer, Matthew Cuskelly, sought bail and said his client denied the allegations. He cited a psychologist’s report that said Sam Wood was suffering from “severe depression”. “He ought to be given the opportunity to engage with mental health professionals,” Cuskelly said. “And also try to salvage something of his professional reputation and career, which is taking a hell of a beating at the moment. “Ultimately, as all families have, there was problems. And my client had been enduring the hardship of attempting to quarantine those problems from his family for some period of time. It was agonising.” Cuskelly cited a psychologist’s report that describes ‘the difficulty that my client has been enduring in respect of the deterioration of his psychological state”. “His depression is regarded as extremely severe.” Cuskelly said Sam Wood had no prior criminal history and if granted bail would reside in Victoria with his father, Andrew Wood, who attended the court in support of his son. Acting magistrate Janelle Boegheim said she was not satisfied by the defence argument that the case against Sam Wood was weak. “The strength of the evidence against the defendant is … relatively strong at this juncture.” Boegheim said it was likely the charges, if proven, would attract a term in prison. Sam Wood was (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/05/sam-wood-charged-domestic-violence-ntwnfb) stood down by his own fitness empire, 28 by Sam Wood, on Monday, a day after he was charged. “We have all been shocked and saddened by the matters involving Sam Wood,” said Mark Watkin, the group’s acting chief executive. “We have zero tolerance for domestic violence. While the matter is under investigation and before the court, Sam is on indefinite leave from his duties. “Our thoughts are with the family and anyone in the community affected by domestic violence.” He is due to face court again on November 23. Support for anyone affected by the subject matter of this report is available at Full Stop Australia (1800 385 578)            Explore more on these topics (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/queensland) Queensland  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/victoria) Victoria  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/news) news    (mailto:?subject=Bachelor star Sam Wood denied bail as police allege he choked wife until she ‘thought she would die’&body=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/08/sam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url) Share     (https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Faustralia-news%2F2026%2Foct%2F08%2Fsam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb&type=article&internalpagecode=australia-news/2026/oct/08/sam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb) (Reuse this content) Reuse this content                            Most viewed      Most viewed                                                               (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) Europe  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) Americas  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) Asia  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) Australia   (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) Africa  (https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) Inequality  (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) Global development       (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning (https://www.theguardian.com/info/2018/sep/17/guardian-us-morning-briefing-sign-up-to-stay-informed) Sign up for our email     (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us) About us  (https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) Help  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) Complaints & corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact) Contact us  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tip us off  (https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) SecureDrop  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) Privacy policy  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) Cookie policy  (https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/07/22/STL_Global_Tax_Strategy_for_the_year_to_31_March_2027.pdf) Tax strategy  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) Terms & conditions   (https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) All topics  (https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) All writers  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_US) Newsletters  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital newspaper archive  (https://bsky.app/profile/us.theguardian.com) Bluesky  (https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) Facebook  (https://www.instagram.com/guardian) Instagram  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) LinkedIn  (https://www.threads.com/@guardian_us) Threads  (https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) TikTok  (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) YouTube   (https://usadvertising.theguardian.com) Advertise with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us) Guardian Labs  (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Work with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) Accessibility settings         (sam-wood-bachelor-bail-court-custody-domestic-violence-ntwnfb.html#top) Back to top      © 2026Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.(dcr)