Richard Simmons has been out of the limelight for the past two years and recent reports claim the fitness guru is being held in his home against his will. In an interview that aired Monday morning, Simmons spoke with Today‘s Savannah Guthrie over the phone about his seclusion.
“No one is holding me in my house as a hostage,” Simmons told Guthrie during an exclusive interview. “You know, I do what I want to do as I’ve always done so people should sort of just believe what I have to say because like I’m Richard Simmons!”
The New York Daily News recently reported that Simmon’s housekeeper, Teresa Reveles, and his manager are keeping him away from friends and family and locked inside his house against his own will.
“That’s just very silly,” he said. “Teresa Reveles has been with me for 30 years. It’s almost like we’re a married couple.”
“I just sort of wanted to be a little bit of a loner for a little while,” Simmons added. “You know, I had hurt my knee, and I had some problems with it, and then the other knee started giving me trouble because I’ve taught like thousands and thousands of classes, and you know right now I just want to sort of take care of me.”
Simmons reaffirmed Guthrie that it was his decision to withdraw from public life. “I just really don’t want to do anything, you know,” he said. “I just don’t want to be traveling anymore. It certainly has taken its toll on me, so it was not like over a day, it was just over some time. You know, I had hurt my knee, and I had some problems with it, and then the other knee started giving me trouble because I’ve taught like thousands and thousands of classes, and you know right now I just want to sort of take care of me.”
Despite having dealt with a few injuries, Simmons said his health is in good condition and asked fans not to worry.
“For all the people that were worrying about me, I want to tell them that I love them with my whole heart and soul and that not to worry, Richard’s fine,” he said. “You haven’t seen the last of me. I’ll come back, and I’ll come back strong.”
