Come flywith me!
Anthea Turner takes flight as nanny extraordinaire, Mary Poppins
If there’s a role TV presenter Anthea Turner was made for, it’s Mary Poppins, the character made famous by Julie Andrews in the original 1964 film, and soon to be revisited in Hollywood sequel Mary Poppins Returns. Remember Mary taking off on her umbrella, or pulling all sorts out of her magical carpet bag?
Anthea, 58, looks as sweet as a spoonful of sugar as the iconic nanny, as she talks clean-ups, fun memories with stepdaughters Amelia, Lily and Claudia, and why Mary Poppins means so much to her.
Anthea, you look fabulous as Mary! Are you a big fan of the film?
It’s very special for me. Mary Poppins was the first film I ever saw in the cinema as a little girl – I was completely and utterly obsessed with it. I was just about grown up enough to go to the pictures, but I had to sit on my mum’s coat, because I wasn’t tall enough!
What did you love so much?
The story was gorgeous. And, being me, I loved the whole tidying-up element, too! I think I’m somewhere between Mary and Samantha from Bewitched – my two favourite female characters. A little mischievous, with a twinkle in the eye. I can’t wait to see what Emily Blunt is like in Mary Poppins Returns [out on 21 December].
As a grown-up, can you still relate to Mary?
I re-watched Mary Poppins with my girls [Anthea’s stepdaughter’s with her ex, Grant Bovey] when they were little, and what’s very clever is that, when Mary’s with children, she ‘finds the fun, and snap, the job’s a game!’ Every parent should try it. She’s fun but firm – and children like boundaries.
And you, like Mary, love things spick and span…
I do –I always tell people that I love to be tidy but it’s
only so that I have more time for the fun stuff! When you’re organised, you can find things and leave the house quickly – you know where it all is. You’re not wading through the treacle of life just to get out of the house and enjoy yourself.
If you could take off on Mary’s magic umbrella, where would you go?
I’ve been lucky enough to have visited lots of exotic places in my life, but one place I haven’t been is the Arctic. I’d love to do one of those ‘cruises’ to explore its beautiful, snowy landscape and see all the stunning animals. Like the polar bears – but from afar!
What’s your picturepostcard childhood moment?
It would have to be a collection of moments. Always outdoors, always with the family. Being with my dad, climbing rocks on holiday – I think Dad quite wanted a boy after having three daughters! We weren’t a rich family, so we’d do a lot of make-believe. We’d make houses in odd places in the garden. Mum had a car like a minivan, and we used to say, ‘Let’s be policemen’! So, our family dog would suddenly have to become the police dog.
It’s important to hold on
to a bit of that childlike joy in life, isn’t it? It really is. With my girls, we did a lot of playing outside and making things. Once, we made an entire cake shop and a hairdresser’s – I wasn’t a Blue Peter presenter for nothing! But we’re in danger of losing that joy of simply playing.
Social media has a lot to answer for…
It does. The girls are 25, 26 and 22 now, so they missed social media taking over their lives at a young age. But we’re in trouble, because everyone’s time-poor and it’s easier to put on a film or give your child an iPad. It’s important to get creative together – we loved doing Christmas decorations, they were spectacular.
Speaking of which, what are your Christmas and New Year plans?
Spending time with family and friends. I might take a plane somewhere – I haven’t been on a proper holiday for more than five years.
You’re the Clean Queen, Anthea – any tips for those festive parties?
Make life easier by going around with a few boxes, collecting ‘stuff’ you don’t need, to make cleaning up afterwards easier. I guarantee you that, by the time you get around to putting everything back, you’ll realise you don’t need half of it!
Any good advice for the dreaded clean-up?
Delegation! Don’t be Mary Martyr. Give every person in the family a binliner and let them muck in. And deal with everything one step at a time. Stack plates up outside until you get around to them. But be brave and delegate.
Are we British too polite to ask for help?
Yes! If someone says, ‘Is there anything I can do?’ we tend to go, ‘Oh, don’t worry!’ Just make a list [of who does what]. Everyone will feel invested and nobody will say no.
Do you have any big New Year resolutions?
To say ‘no’ more! Women are terrible at going, ‘ Yes, I’ll do that!’ Start learning the word ‘no’ and meaning it. I’m not great at it, but I’m learning!
‘Mary Poppins was the first film I ever saw in the cinema as a little girl – I was utterly obsessed’