TRINNY ALWAYS HAS MY BACK

Susannah is still most famous for being on TV with Trinny Woodall (pictured). Their show What Not To Wear ran from 2001-2005 and became an institution. It worked, she says, because they were opposites, ‘yet together we became something, a kind of entity. Trinny is strong, but she is also vulnerable, and we know each other so well.’ They are both bossy women, she agrees, and complicated. ‘I’m probably less afraid of failure and more secure, in a way, than Trinny. That’s how it was at the beginning. But once we became friends, I couldn’t imagine her not being in my life.’ She says she has five or six very close friends, ‘a mix of strong women and gay men’. Trinny is still the one who will tell her she looks a fright and needs more flattering clothes. ‘She used to force me. She’d say,

“For God’s sake, you’ve got to get something new and decent.”’ Trinny still ‘has her finger on the pulse’ of fashion, she says, and is busy blogging about clothes and make-up. Susannah less so. ‘When I see her, she will say, “Susannah, you can’t wear that. Here, borrow this jacket.” She always has my back,’ says Susannah.

They were always completely different shapes, though. Are they now the same size? ‘We probably are. I mean not on top because I’ve got much bigger boobs, but we are probably pretty much the same size now.’

Susannah in a selfie with her husband and children in April this year

Continued from page 5 with your feelings. A lot of people paths cross much afterwards, will run away, try to douse them with eyebrows being raised at with alcohol or whatever, and I their little secret? ‘No, God, no. I have learned to wait until it passes, didn’t know him well at all so our and it usually does. The key is paths never really crossed. He acknowledging it, and as women was hugely polite and kind of we find it difficult to ask for help. I swept the whole thing under the don’t mean a therapist, I mean asking carpet.’ What class! your family for help. I say to

Royals notwithstanding, she is mine, “I’m feeling really s*** incredibly well connected. One of today, so if I snap at you...”’ her more recent ventures is an Are we talking of depression addictive podcast called My here, anxiety? ‘It’s hard to pinpoint. Wardrobe Malfunction, which It’s a sort of lethargy, where sees her interview friends and fellow nothing excites or inspires you. celebs about their relationship It’s like you become locked-off with their clothes. Guests have from life for a bit. You have to reengage. included Stacey Dooley (who For me, writing has famously flashed her knickers on helped. I find it so freeing.’ Strictly), and she convinced Liz Susannah has slimmed down Hurley to talk considerably. about her iconic A few years safety pin ago she saw Versace dress. herself in the

Susannah is mirror and a complete wailed at the hoot, delightful fact she’d company, become one of but a complex those middleaged character and women she comes she and Trinny across as a woman who has used to try to help. ‘I’d let myself worked hard at making her life go,’ she admits. ‘I saw one photo happy. At first, she doubted and said, “Who is that old bag whether she and Sten would make who’s completely let herself go?” it. She has confessed that she So I reined it in, got back into exercising, dragged him ‘kicking and screaming’ and then it became a challenge, up the aisle, even convincing and I relish challenges so it him to attend couples therapy went from there. It’s been a total because he would not marry her, change of lifestyle. Being fitter has and when he did she thought she become my lifestyle, and I’m happier had made a huge mistake and they for it. I think I know myself didn’t speak for six months. better than I ever did.’

Something sorted itself out Do the clothes still matter? She because their children are now virtually doesn’t mention them much grown up. Joe is 21, Esme, today, unless asked about them. 19, and Cece, 16. She adores them, ‘I won’t just throw on the first but is conscious (perhaps hyperconscious) thing I find. I still make an effort of the effect of her own because it makes me feel better mental health on them. Prone to about myself, but I don’t think it’s depressive episodes, she has found the be all and end all.’ lockdown difficult. ‘I am so blessed Unless you’re dining with because we live in the countryside Prince Philip, of course, and there and I have space, but I need are straps and soup involved. n time on my own every day. Jenny Johnston

‘A lot of it is acceptance, the Summer In Mayfair is out now, knowledge that you need to sit published by HQ, £8.99.

‘I get a sort of lethargy. Nothing inspires me’