Sam Thaiday forged a reputation as one of the biggest personalities – and best players – in every team he played for.

Whether winning premierships with the Broncos, Origins with the Maroons, or Test matches for Australia, the beloved Channel 9 presenter and panellist has always gone his own way—even adding another trophy to his pool room (and bumping his Instagram following to over 200,000) with victory in the 2025 season of Channel 10’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Now Thaiday and multi-talented wife Rachel—a personal trainer, wellbeing coach, and host of successful podcast Am I A Bad Mum? —have joined Isuzu UTE Australia. Not just as brand Ambassadors and the marque’s first official MU-X Influencers, but as passionate advocates for the best of the active, outdoor Australian lifestyle.

“We’re delighted to welcome Sam and Rachel, and of course Gracie and Ellsie, to the Isuzu UTE Australia team,” said IUA Managing Director, Mr Junta Matsui.

“Living on acreage and embracing an active outdoor lifestyle, the Thaiday family is a perfect fit for the balance of sleek, modern design and off-road capabilities of the new Isuzu MU-X —an SUV that, like Sam, Australia has taken into its heart.”

Sam agrees.

“Just an amazingly classy and rugged machine,” says Thaiday. “Incredibly capable, but also a flawless combination of style and strength, and attractive from every angle. But enough about me. The Isuzu MU-X is also all of those things, so it’s obvious why I’m a perfect fit for the brand.”

“Whether it’s school runs with Gracie and Ellsie or beach fishing or going bush, I’m going to drive the hell out of this MU-X, and it’s great to know that it has the durability to go anywhere, the tech to keep us in touch, and all the safety features we need.”

“We can’t wait to get amongst it,” says Rachel. “Anyone with kids knows that more space is a godsend—and with seven seats, the MU-X has all we need, and more.”

You can follow the Thaiday’s MU-X adventures via Isuzu UTE's Instagram (@isuzuute_aus) and Facebook (@isuzuute) channels or join Sam (@samthaiday) and Rachel (@rachelthaiday) on their accounts.