Richard Simmons is ringing in a new year of life in good spirits.
“This is a big milestone,” his longtime rep, Tom Estey, told “Entertainment Tonight” of the beloved fitness guru turning 75 on Wednesday.
“I just want to see him happy, which he is.”
No details were given about how Simmons planned to spend his birthday, and when reached by Pvnew, Estey declined to comment further.
The rare update, however, is a small glimpse into the former TV personality’s notoriously private life.
Simmons has been out of the spotlight since February 2014 when he stopped showing up to teach classes at his famed Slimmons dance studio in Beverly Hills, Calif., out of the blue.
Many have since speculated about the reasons for his reclusive lifestyle.
At one point, it was rumored that he was held hostage by his housekeeper, which his rep emphatically denied.
Simmons himself then filed a defamation lawsuit against the National Enquirer over the tabloid’s June 2016 cover story claiming he was undergoing gender reassignment surgery.
“I am male,” the “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” host clarified in the suit. “I am not transgender.”
In August 2022, TMZ aired a TV special in which its reporters claimed to have uncovered why Simmons chose to remain out of the public eye.
In “TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons,” managing editor Fabian Garcia alleged that a “birth defect” that “significantly affected” one of the fitness expert’s legs was the cause of his disappearance.
“He was born without a full set of bones in his foot, and it causes physical and emotional problems,” Garcia further claimed.
Estey told The Post shortly after the special aired, “Richard is eternally grateful for the continuous outpouring of love and gratitude he has received from across the globe.”
The publicist then insisted, “He is happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live.”
Simmons shared his own message via Facebook that same week — in what was his first public correspondence with fans in six years — to say, “Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and love! ❤️. Love, Richard.”
