Under the microscope
CAN YOU RUN UP THE STAIRS?
YES. I work out six days a week in the gym for an hour. My boyfriend, James Haskell, is a Wasps and England rugby player so we take fitness seriously.
GET YOUR FIVE A DAY?
YES, mainly from green vegetables. I eat less fruit because of the high sugar content. However, every three days I’ll eat blueberries or raspberries with oats for breakfast.
EVER DIETED?
IN MY early 20s I liked going out drinking and ate what I wanted. I was a curvy size 10 (I’m 5 ft 6in and weighed 10 st 10 lb). If I was going on holiday I’d just cut out carbs for a few weeks and run. Now I eat meals based on protein and vegetables and have a cheat night once a week. I weigh around 9 st.
ANY VICES?
WINE. My boyfriend and I love it. We love whisky, too — after one of James’s rugby matches we’ll get through half a bottle. However, we only drink one night a week.
ANY FAMILY AILMENTS?
MY DAD’S father had a fatal heart attack in his 40s. Dad (TV presenter Richard Madeley) worries about that and gave up smoking in his 30s and rarely eats red meat. He’s made sure my brother, Jack, 30, and I are aware of the family history.
WORST ILLNESS?
TWO years ago, I had to go to hospital on Christmas Day because I ate two wheels of Camembert and drank a bottle of prosecco after months of not having any dairy or alcohol. I was as sick as a dog. I had to have anti-sickness injections and go on a drip to rehydrate me — I was in there all day.
POP ANY PILLS?
PROBIOTICS. Since my teens I’ve suffered from bloating almost immediately after eating. Taking probiotics has made a big difference.
HAD ANYTHING REMOVED?
MY APPENDIX — I had appendicitis when I was 13. I was in so much pain I started hallucinating and was passing in and out of consciousness.
EVER HAVE PLASTIC SURGERY?
I ALREADY have. I broke my nose twice — once when I bumped into a glass door and again when I was surfing. I was left with a bump that made me feel insecure. Eighteen months ago, I had a nose job. I wish I’d had it done sooner.
IS SEX IMPORTANT?
ABSOLUTELY. I think you should try to find time for sex even if you’re busy.
EVER BEEN DEPRESSED?
NO, BUT in my early 20s I suffered from anxiety and panic attacks for four years. I’d struggle to get my breath, feel incredibly sick and dizzy.
HANGOVER CURE?
BEROCCA (multi-vitamin tablet you dissolve in water) and toast.
LIKE TO LIVE FOR EVER?
NO, BUT ask me again when I’m 80. INTERVIEW: JO WATERS