I always yearned for a third child and now my family is complete
TV presenter on why children matter more than her career
When people look at Lucy Kennedy, they see a woman who has it all — a career on television, her lovely husband Richard Governey and three beautiful children. But, after having two children, Jack, now eight, and Holly, now five, Lucy decided she wanted another baby and after Jess was born, gave up her main presenting gig on TV3’s The Six O’Clock Show in favour of Ireland’s Got Talent. Here Lucy reveals why being a mum is more important to her than the job she loves…
WHEN I was expecting my third child, a lot of my friends made me a little bit worried. I had some pals who freaked me out when I was pregnant saying things like ‘it was so much easier and it was all going so well for you as you had two out of nappies’. But I just really wanted another baby — I always had three children in my head so I absolutely yearned for a third child.
Richard and I have been together since we were 23 so he thinks I am totally bonkers but when the four of us were sitting round the table I always used to
say to him that I felt like someone was missing. So there was a never a day where I felt like I didn’t want it to happen.
But to be honest, it just took a little bit longer to conceive Jess than it did with my first two because I was 39. And then when I saw the two red lines on the test, I was so excited.
I don’t know why but in the early stages of pregnancy, I had ferocious morning sickness all the time.
There were times when I was sitting at The Seven O’Clock Show counter when there was a food item on and I was willing myself not to vomit. In those fleeting moments I would think ‘Why have I put myself through this again?’ but then I would remember the baby in my tummy.
Once Jess arrived safely there was just that feeling of ‘right, this is our family now and everyone has arrived.’ I actually feel like our family is finished, as strange as that might sound.
And in spite of what people might have said when I was pregnant, I don’t think having a third is any harder than having two children.
She might turn into a party animal or something at the age of 15 but so far, so good. She is a dream baby, I think she has been very good for Jack and Holly as well.
Having a third child in a lot of ways brings balance — even though it is an odd number.
I am so glad and so lucky that Jess happened — she will be two in December and she is great. She has my dirty laugh and my chunky thighs and she is a healthy, happy little baby.
As pathetic and soppy as this sounds, there is that feeling of being complete. Jess is our own little Dangermouse, she’s into everything.
She is obsessed with the toilet — she likes to swipe down into the toilet like a cat at the water and she empties every loo roll holder of its toilet paper.
She tries to put her fingers in every socket. We did a blitz and every safety check has been carried out — we’ve got the safest house in Ireland now.
Jess is a real mixture of Jack and Holly as well, she’s a blend of both their personalities.
Some people might wonder why I left The Six O’Clock Show when it changed from 7pm, but at that time there were rumblings about Ireland’s Got Talent and I was told that if it went ahead, it would be mine.
I was already signed up for another series of Living With Lucy which involves going to stay with a celebrity for at least three days at a time so it is very time-consuming and it means being away from home as well.
And to be honest, at that time I was tearing around like a blue a***ed fly, collecting Jack from school, trying to get out to Tallaght at 5pm. I decided I wanted to do Ireland’s Got Talent and there was no way I could do that, The Six O’Clock Show and Living With Lucy.
TO do both those shows and live telly four days a week would have been too much — I would have disappeared as I would have been so thin. And I knew that if Ireland Got Talent happened, then I would be okay. But I had to jump off the ship and hope that I was going to land the new gig.
I miss the crew on The Six O’Clock Show as we had a lot of fun.
But I feel like I have made the right choice for me and the family. I seem to have a better balance.
I want to see my babies, I want to spend time with my babies and I want to be at home as much as possible. I missed bathing them and putting them into their pyjamas for two years. It’s nice to have all that back.
I am in the lovely position that I am not going into a job every day, nine to five — that is really tough, I don’t know how people do that. The hours I work are totally irregular so I am lucky. Jess will be starting creche next month so I might be starting another project that’s not tellyrelated but it will be doable.
There are days when I do feel overwhelmed because I am tired.
Like most working mums there are days when I come home, get into my pyjamas at 6pm and hide when the doorbell rings because my neighbours would be horrified by the sight they see. I just go to bed early. But it is doable.
And my kids can finally see me on the telly — Saturday nights are Ireland’s Got Talent nights when we sit down together and laugh and I usually cry again because I am an emotional wreck.
And I love it because they are so into it like most children are.
It has been hard on Ireland’s Got Talent as there were a few dodgy acts but overall I was pleasantly surprised with the talent. There were tears and people who didn’t want to talk — and understandably so. It is a television show and a brilliant one but it is people’s lives and a lot of people have been waiting for this for a long time.
They have been told by family members and friends that they can sing or they can dance or they can do these things and then to put so much effort into it and come out on stage to get three or four red buzzers, it’s very hard.
There were times when I felt really sorry for the people, but I had to hold back.
Sometimes if you fall and it hurts you just get up and get on with it whereas if someone asks me if I am okay, then I will probably cry.
You known that feeling so I had to gauge the person. That said, if there
is an opportunity to give someone a cheeky embrace then I always do, if I think for one second that it might make them feel better.
I have been covered in makeup, sweat, snot and tears. But then, that’s like being a mum too, I suppose.
This month I am launching the Woman’s Way search for Mum Of The Year.
Last year I won Celebrity Mum Of The Year and I was so chuffed that I cried! It was quite embarrassing.
Just to be recognised publicly was something special.
So if anyone thinks that a mum they know, whether they are related to them or not, deserves to be recognised as Mum Of The Year then by all means get in touch online, or even vote for yourself.
It is a really nice thing to do. It was a very humbling experience as I met women who battled so much more than the average person so for them to be recognised on the day was really nice.
Right now life is great. I am really content and really happy I am doing my two favourite television shows ever which are obviously Living With Lucy and Ireland’s Got Talent. I have two more projects starting in April and neither are television related.
But my children are more important than work of course,
I love what I do but I love them more. I have never been that kind of person whose job is everything, it’s not the be all and end all for me. I always know if it all ended tomorrow, I would get another job and my children will always come before any events or nights out.
I have never really lived for work although, don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy what I do.
I love the programmes I present but I love my children more.
And if anyone asks me if I am having more children, my response is, ‘ ‘No, we’re getting a budgie!’
Woman’s Way and Beko are seeking nominations from anyone who knows an exceptional mum. To nominate visit womansway.ie. The closing date for entries is April 30.
Being a television presenter is fantastic and I love it — but being a mum to my children comes first