‘It is our first Christmas with our dog’

The Good Morning Britain presenter on spoiling her son and puppy this year

Christmas only became something I looked forward to after I had my son, Tushaan. When I was nine, my dad died in the January and I can’t remember ever enjoying Christmas. It was always a tense time of year, and I always wanted to hide away and get it over and done with. It’s only been in the past eight years that I made myself make Christmas really important and special.

My son’s first Christmas was a really big moment for me. As a single parent, you feel that you have to do more, and you want to make it even more perfect. Now we get a full-on Christmas tree and put reindeer in the window. We really go for it and we’re doing more and more to the house year after year. My son wants a giant Santa on the roof this year. He wants everything. Now that he’s eight, we’re both equally involved in decorating the house and getting it ready – we’re doing it for each other.

People are already buying gifts for my dog. More so for him than for me or my son! We got our cockapoo, Shmizzels, in lockdown, and he’s now eight months old, so it’ll be our first Christmas together. I’m hoping to spoil him. Shmizzels is a food thief. His little face is constantly peering over tables and trays, waiting for us to leave food unattended.

It was a massive thrill to be asked to be part of Strictly. Then, when I realised I was neither fit nor particularly good at anything that’s required, and that I’d put on over a stone in lockdown, and that I haven’t actually worn anything fancy since March... All combined, it was nerve-racking. It had dawned on me that I had not been preparing in 2020 for the biggest moment of my life! I’m a hard worker though, so I won’t slack.

MY CHRISTMAS WISH... To find space for my glitter ball in the downstairs loo. Honestly? That we can be with our nearest and dearest.