Sydney-based fitness trainer Jono Castano, once a media favorite, is facing public scrutiny as details of his split with model Simone Holtznagel become widely known. This marks the first time he’s experienced significant negative publicity.
For many years, Castano was known as Australia’s most famous personal trainer, gaining attention in newspapers, on morning television shows, and even in the United States.
A quick online search shows that 35-year-old gym owner Acero has trained celebrities like Rebel Wilson and Rita Ora. He has a strong track record, and videos online confirm he works with stars.
But is it up to date?
In 2019, Castano first gained media attention, including coverage in the Mail, as a fitness guru working with celebrities. By 2020, this reputation solidified as he became known for working with Wilson during her noticeable weight loss journey.
According to sources, Wilson and Castano used to work together, but she became frustrated with how often her name was mentioned in news reports about him or his gym, Acero.
A spokesperson for Wilson claimed as much in an email to us this week.
The actress from Bridesmaids reportedly paid a trainer named Castano for multiple workout sessions, but stopped training with him after she came back from traveling abroad a few months ago.
The representative explained that because Castano had previously worked with Wilson and gained popularity from it, their team contacted Castano to try and create some separation between them.
A similar situation occurred in May 2023 when a representative for Rita Ora asked the Mail to remove her name from an article. The article identified Castano as her trainer in Australia.
The email explained that the British singer, wife of film director Taika Waititi, had only trained with Castano a few times. She primarily worked with a different trainer while she was recently in the country.
In 2024, Castano published his book, It Starts Today, building on his already strong reputation as a fitness trainer.
According to industry murmurs, the wording on the cover was tweaked after Wilson’s camp objected.
The book originally highlighted Castano as the trainer for celebrities like Rebel Wilson, Richard Branson, and Hugh Sheridan.
It was later updated to: ‘Celebrity personal trainer and founder of Acero gym’.
We’re not doubting that Castano has worked with the celebrities he mentions – there’s video evidence of their training sessions. And we aren’t claiming he wrote the original text on his book cover or controlled how the media portrayed him as a celebrity trainer.
It’s common for celebrities to have trainers for only a short time, particularly in the fitness and entertainment worlds. Busy schedules, like travel or movie shoots, often get in the way of longer-term training relationships.
It seems these two former clients didn’t want to be associated with Castano for an extended period after they stopped training with him.
This isn’t the first time Castano has faced negative publicity; he’s been involved in similar disagreements before, such as the one with Holtznagel.
Fans noticed in August 2022 that he was trying to sell a rare $2,250 shirt on Facebook Marketplace, even though he’d gotten it as a free gift at a product launch.
He’s not the first to try and get rid of something unwanted, but Sydney’s gossip columns eagerly seized on the story, as many people had been waiting for someone to challenge Castano’s seemingly perfect image.
He advertised a used, large-size shirt online, using a picture from the Fendi website, but didn’t mention he’d received it as a gift.
Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! Matty Johnson, like, offered to pay fifty dollars for it – FIFTY DOLLARS! – but honestly, it was probably just a silly thing he said because when Castano saw it, she just sent back a laughing emoji. Seriously, a laughing emoji! It was so casual, it clearly wasn’t a real offer. I’m dying!
The decision was met with disapproval from public relations professionals and social media influencers, who generally consider it inappropriate to resell items received as gifts – it’s seen as a violation of unwritten rules in their industry.
Castano never commented on the sale and it’s unclear if he ever found a buyer.
Recently, singer Castano and his ex, Gia’s mother Holtznagel, publicly argued about how they’re raising their almost two-year-old daughter and the money Castano pays for her care.
The conflict began after Holtznagel had an outburst following a court-ordered visit with her child. She publicly shared on Instagram that Castano had only been paying $40 a week in child support for a long time, until recently increasing the amount.
Castano, 35, firmly denies claims that he underpaid Simone, and has provided records of thousands of dollars in payments made to her since December.
He admitted that until recently, he was only paying his ex-partner $45 a week in child support. They hadn’t been able to reach an agreement on the amount, and he claimed she had requested a sum he considered unaffordable.
On Friday, February 6th, Holtznagel shared a lively video on her Instagram Stories. It showed her playfully dancing around her living room with her young child, and she was giving the middle finger.
She captioned a video, jokingly describing how she would react if her child’s father arrived 45 minutes late for their scheduled, supervised visit.
Simone criticized both Castano’s former wife and business associate, Amy, and his current girlfriend, Emily Ryder, before bringing up questions about Castano’s driver’s license.
She described arriving at their destination as a strange situation: her boyfriend was in the car, but it was being driven by his wife – neither of them actually owned a car themselves.
This trainer, who poses as a celebrity expert, hasn’t held a valid license for four years and recently learned about basic financial responsibilities like paying adequate child support.
They actually had the nerve to ask if I was pregnant, simply because I have a bit of a stomach! The sheer confidence, the disconnect from reality, and the complete lack of self-awareness were astounding.
Castano responded to the post with a video on Instagram Saturday morning, just hours after it had already been seen by thousands of people.
He accused Holtznagel of spreading false information, then presented bank screenshots as proof that he had sent his former partner nearly $8,500 since December.
However, he did concede he’d been making significantly lower payments before then.
Holtznagel stated that Castano questioned her about being pregnant, referring to her stomach. However, Castano clarified that he actually told her he was ‘very happy for Gia if you are pregnant’.
Castano was contacted for comment in relation to this story.
New to DailyMail+? Here are our most-read stories from the last week
A school source has shared the heartbreaking story of the Clune brothers, who were autistic and tragically killed by their parents in their Mosman Park home. The boys had been expelled from school and unfairly branded as problem children, adding to the family’s struggles. Their parents reportedly suffered from extreme sleep deprivation.
Gus Lamont’s family history is filled with hardship and unexpected relationships. We explore the complex story of this Outback patriarch, a man marked by the trauma of war and two unconventional marriages.
Justin Hemmes, the prominent pub owner, relies on a close-knit group of women to run his business, Merivale. Following a difficult year for the company, these powerful and private women have become increasingly important. One particularly mysterious figure, a former model, has even earned the nickname ‘Queen of Level 6’.
Oh my goodness, you won’t believe the drama! It’s all over the eastern suburbs – a really nasty fallout between some housewives who were once best friends, and now one has taken out a restraining order against another. And then there’s this chiropractor in Double Bay…apparently, he’s been accused of assaulting his ex-partner. It’s all anyone’s talking about in our group chat, honestly. Such a mess!
Okay, so everyone’s talking about Bailey Smith’s new girlfriend! After things didn’t work out with Tammy Hembrow, he’s moved on, and we’ve found out who he’s now seeing. Honestly, the photos of him at the airport – giving a bit of a cheeky one-finger salute – are all over the place, but it’s the new relationship everyone is really focused on right now. I’m definitely keeping up with this!
Jana Hocking writes about how husbands, often those with stable lives, sometimes attempt to spice up their marriages with fantasies inspired by pornography, and how these attempts frequently lead to divorce.
Police are focusing their investigation on a suspect in the disappearance of Gus Lamont. The last confirmed sighting of Lamont, by someone outside his family, was hundreds of kilometers away from Oak Park Station, and those who knew him are expressing their sadness over the situation.
A shocking argument between Bec and Gia on Married At First Sight (MAFS) is causing a stir. Ali Daher claims Channel Nine is withholding footage of the intense fight that occurred at the hens party.
Richard Eden, who knows Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie personally, believes a single line in an email connected to Jeffrey Epstein will cause them significant problems. He suggests this email contains information that will be very damaging to their reputations.
If you’re concerned about the size of your penis, you’re not alone – many men experience this worry. While a smaller-than-average size is sometimes referred to as ‘micropenis’, there are options that may help. One person shares their regret about not exploring these options and how it has negatively impacted their life.
Melbourne is buzzing with talk about Dan Andrews’ health, according to sources within the Labor party. Also, Abbie has taken action against a popular online comedian, and there’s a new inquiry into the death of Joel Selwood. This is according to a report by Costello.
It’s possible to lose weight and maintain that loss even with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). After struggling with many different diets, I was able to lose 55 kilograms with the help of an affordable supplement, and I no longer need medication like Ozempic.
Read More
- MLBB x KOF Encore 2026: List of bingo patterns
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Married At First Sight’s worst-kept secret revealed! Brook Crompton exposed as bride at centre of explosive ex-lover scandal and pregnancy bombshell
- Top 10 Super Bowl Commercials of 2026: Ranked and Reviewed
- Why Andy Samberg Thought His 2026 Super Bowl Debut Was Perfect After “Avoiding It For A While”
- ‘Reacher’s Pile of Source Material Presents a Strange Problem
- How Everybody Loves Raymond’s ‘Bad Moon Rising’ Changed Sitcoms 25 Years Ago
- Genshin Impact Zibai Build Guide: Kits, best Team comps, weapons and artifacts explained
- Meme Coins Drama: February Week 2 You Won’t Believe
- Brent Oil Forecast
2026-02-13 15:06