Workout mogul Denise Austin says Richard Simmons is doing just fine in the shadows ... and she's sharing some of their old fitness routines for folks in quarantine.
Denise tells TMZ ... her old buddy Richard is doing just fine these days, even though he's kept himself out of the public eye for 6 years and counting. Denise says she's in constant contact with Richard's managers, and they assure her he's doing well.
Interestingly, though, she -- like most of the world -- has NOT seen him in person.
Richard and Denise go way back ... and she says their fitness routines from the '80s will really do people a lot of good during coronavirus lockdown.
As we first reported ... Richard is making a comeback of sorts during the pandemic, posting old fitness videos to his YouTube channel, the first activity there in 6 years.
Denise and her daughter, Katie Austin, also have some pretty simple workouts for folks cooped up inside ... and you don't need much other than your limbs and some canned pasta sauce.
Just be careful with that sauce ... as Katie says, you don't want splatter!!!