‘I wouldn’t have been able to do it alone’
Lucy Watson on her wedding to James Dunmore and living a vegan lifestyle
Former Made In Chelsea co-stars Lucy Watson and James Dunmore wed earlier this month on the beautiful Greek island of Kefalonia. Lucy looked elegant in an off-the-shoulder gown with a large ruffled skirt and a lengthy train, while her new husband looked dashing in a stylish black suit.
Though their day was pictureperfect in the end, the planning process was not without its stresses, coming right in the middle of the pandemic.“It’s been stressful, but it’s not something I want to complain about. It’s definitely first-world problems.There are a lot of greater problems in the world,” Lucy says as we catch up just before her big day.
She also confesses that she and James, 32, couldn’t have made their wedding dream a reality without the help of an“amazing” planner.
Here, Lucy, 30, reveals all about planning a wedding during a pandemic, why she switched from being vegetarian to vegan and getting back to the gym…
Hi, Lucy! How has the past year been for you?
It’s been crazy. It’s been a good time to refocus on what’s important and to really just get your life organised. Because there was such a long amount of time where we couldn’t do anything, I just want to do everything now. I’ve just moved house, adopted a puppy and I’m getting married. It feels like we’re doing everything we can possibly do in the space of a few months because we’ve finally got that freedom to do it.
How did you find being a brideto-be with so much uncertainty?
It’s been stressful, but it’s not something I want to complain about. It’s definitely first-world problems. There are a lot of greater problems in the world. I’ve worked with a wedding planner – they’ve been amazing. I don’t think I would have been able to do it on my own.
Why was it important for you to support the Target Zero campaign against animal testing?
‘I love animals and don’t want to see them get killed’
I’ve been against animal testing for as long as I can remember. I was really shocked to find out that around three million animals are tested on in
Great Britain and Northern Ireland every year. Even though I would say I’m very knowledgeable about animal welfare, I didn’t know that animal testing was still going on in the UK. So I was super keen to raise awareness.This is something people have been petitioning against for over 100 years. I think animal testing should be banned everywhere, so why not start with trying to ban it in the UK?
You follow a vegan lifestyle.What made you want to take the leap from being vegetarian?
I was vegetarian because I grew up on a working farm and I love animals and I didn’t want to see them get killed. And obviously in order to eat meat you have to pay for an animal to be killed. It’s kind of the same with animal products of all kinds. I think as soon as I realised that, I put two and two together and just didn’t really want to pay for that. I didn’t want to pay for death. A vegan diet is really accessible now. I don’t feel like I miss out on anything. I eat whatever I want, but vegan. I’d say I have a healthy, delicious diet.
What health benefits have you experienced so far?
That wasn’t the reason I went vegan – it didn’t really cross my mind. I
went vegan for the animals. But I think you slowly start to realise the health benefits anyway. For me, I was eating a lot of dairy and I noticed that I did lose quite a lot of fat around my face. It’s not an aesthetic thing but I’m sure having that level of fat going into my body wasn’t healthy. Now I have more energy in the gym, my skin is clear and my nails are growing longer and stronger than ever before.
What are some of your favourite dishes?
I love all the vegan junk food if I’m honest. I love vegan mac and cheese. I’ll make it with a cashew cheese and either a wholegrain or lentil pasta so it’s healthier. I literally love food.
Do you do most of the cooking at home?
I do all the cooking at home. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m one of those people who can’t watch other people cook for me. I like to be in control of the kitchen. I have a certain way that I like to do things. James will hold his hands up and say he’s not the best cook either so it’s so much easier if I do it. I enjoy it.
Is James vegan, too?
James is plant-based. He’s not as strict as me, but he doesn’t really eat animal products. If he slips up, he won’t have as much as a problem with it as I would.
You look great.What’s your fitness regime?
At the moment, I don’t really work out at all, but in an ideal world I’d work out three times a week. I do a lot of walking at the moment. I walk my dogs every day and I like to get my steps in. My life has been so hectic
– I haven’t had a chance to work out. I’ve just been doing at-home Pilates. I’d love to get back into the gym.
Lucy is supporting animal protection organisations Cruelty Free International, Animal Free Research UK and Scotland’s OneKind to launch a new campaign called Target Zero, urging the public to put an end to animal testing. Visit petition.parliament.uk/ petitions/590216