QUICK-FIRE FIONA
MY BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT? HAVING A HAPPY FAMILY. WITHOUT A DOUBT. WHAT KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT? LOGISTICS. “WHERE DO I HAVE TO BE TOMORROW?” I’M NOT A GOOD SLEEPER. MY MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
MY ENGAGEMENT RING, WHICH BELONGED TO MY GRANDMOTHER. AS A CHILD, I WOULD SIT WITH MY MUM AND PLAY WITH HER JEWELLERY AND ASK, “CAN I HAVE IT ONE DAY?” SO IT REMINDS ME OF HER.
HAVE I EVER BEEN ARRESTED? NO, BUT VERY NEARLY AT GREENHAM COMMON! I WAS PROTESTING AND WAS ASKED IF I WAS PREPARED TO BE ARRESTED. AND I THOUGHT, “OH, I’M NOT QUITE READY FOR THAT.” SO I JUST LINKED ARMS IN A RATHER WET WAY! MY GUILTY PLEASURE? DOES Poldark
ON A SUNDAY NIGHT COUNT? IF SO, THAT’S IT. ONE THING I WOULD CHANGE ABOUT MY LIFE? IT WOULD BE MY HAIR! I’D LOVE TO GET UP IN THE MORNING, AND FOR MY HAIR TO LOOK LIKE IT DID BEFORE I WENT TO BED. IT’S RIDICULOUSLY FRIVOLOUS, I KNOW!
1990S, I WAS A REPORTER ON A REGIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW IN THE SOUTH EAST. MY CONTRACT WASN’T BEING RENEWED
UNTIL SEPTEMBER SO I HAD THREE MONTHS WITHOUT WORK. I OFFERED TO FILL IN FOR SOME PRESENTING SHIFTS. I WASN’T GREAT – I’D BE WEARING THESE HUGE EARRINGS THAT WOULD BE TREMBLING ALONG WITH ME ON CAMERA. BUT PEOPLE WITHIN THE BBC NOTICED,
AND I STARTED GETTING MORE SHIFTS. I WAS A CURRENT AFFAIRS REPORTER AND WASN’T THINKING ABOUT BEING A PRESENTER. AT THE TIME IT WAS LITERALLY A MEANS TO AN END.
THESE DAYS, EVEN WITH LIVE TELEVISION, I TEND NOT TO GET TOO NERVOUS. IF EVERYTHING AROUND ME IS FALLING APART, I CONSCIOUSLY CLOSE MY EARS TO WHAT’S GOING ON, TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND
JUST RELAX. I REMEMBER ONCE WE WERE BROADCASTING THE Six O’Clock News LIVE AT THE SYRIAN BORDER. THE BIGGEST DUST STORM IN A GENERATION BLEW UP JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO GO ON AIR. YOU COULD HARDLY SEE A THING: MY HAIR, THE EQUIPMENT, EVERYTHING WAS THICK WITH DUST. I HAD TO JUST CARRY ON. I DO OCCASIONALLY HAVE TO COMPOSE MYSELF READING THE NEWS AFTER EVENTS SUCH AS THE GRENFELL TOWER FIRE, BUT WHILE I DON’T WANT TO LOOK LIKE A ROBOT, I ALSO DON’T WANT MY EMOTIONS GETTING IN THE WAY OF WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY.
LUCKILY, NOBODY REALLY SPOTTED MY MOST EMBARRASSING ON-AIR MOMENT! PARTLY BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE DAYS BEFORE SOCIAL MEDIA. I WAS PRESENTING THE NEWS
ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON WAITING FOR THE CAMERA TO GO ON, LOOKING IN THE MIRROR AND FIDDLING WITH MY FRINGE. I DIDN’T HEAR THE EDITOR SAY, “CUE.” AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, I FINALLY HEARD HIM SHOUTING, DROPPED THE MIRROR, AND STARTED
READING THE NEWS. THIS WAS ALL LIVE
TO THE NATION! FORTUNATELY, NONE OF THE BIG BOSSES WERE WATCHING.
LAST YEAR I BADLY BROKE MY FOOT TRAMPOLINING WITH MY DAUGHTER AND COULDN’T WORK FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I WAS CHEWING MY ARM OFF IN FRUSTRATION – I’M A VERY RESTLESS PERSON AND FOUND SITTING DOWN FOR HOURS AND HOURS INCREDIBLY BORING. I DID GET THROUGH Anna Karenina, THOUGH! AND WHEN I COULDN’T ACTUALLY DO MY JOB, MY GOODNESS, IT MADE ME REALISE AFRESH HOW MUCH I LOVE IT. I’M NOT COMPLACENT ABOUT MY SUCCESS – IN MY PROFESSION, IT CAN ALL VANISH OVERNIGHT. BUT THAT’S THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS.
IN NO SENSE HAVE I DREADED GETTING OLDER. PERSONALLY, I DON’T FEEL ANY PRESSURE BEING A WOMAN OVER 50 IN TV, BUT ASK ME AGAIN IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME. I CERTAINLY DON’T FEEL ANY MORE COMFORTABLE IN MY SKIN THAN WHEN I WAS YOUNGER – I FEEL THE SAME.
PEOPLE HAVE SENT ME THE STRANGEST THINGS THROUGH THE POST. AT ONE STAGE, SOMEONE WAS SENDING TOPSHOP SKIRTS – I’M NOT SURE WHY, BUT THEY WERE ALL VERY SHORT. AND IT DOESN’T STOP THERE. WHILE I WAS GIVING BIRTH TO MY DAUGHTER – IN THAT HIATUS BETWEEN HUFFING AND PUFFING, GATHERING YOURSELF BEFORE THE NEXT CONTRACTION – A YOUNG WOMAN’S VOICE FROM DOWN AT MY FEET SAID, “THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT TIME TO MENTION IT, BUT YOU’RE MY FAVOURITE PRESENTER!” I SAID, “THANK YOU VERY MUCH!” AND CARRIED ON.
ON HAVING FUN
I CAN BE QUITE SERIOUS-MINDED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS, BUT WHENEVER THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF, I LOVE LETTING MY HAIR DOWN. I USED TO HAVE A COCKTAIL BETWEEN THE SIX AND TEN O’CLOCK BULLETINS AT THE HOTEL ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE BBC – ONLY ONE WITH THE TEAM; I’M A VERY LIGHT DRINKER. I HAVEN’T DONE THAT FOR A WHILE – I THINK I NEED TO REINSTATE IT! RECENTLY, I WAS AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL WITH MY HUSBAND AND A FRIEND WATCHING LIVE BANDS AT 3AM. I’M SLIGHTLY MORTIFIED TO SAY THAT I’D NEVER BEEN TO A FESTIVAL BEFORE – IT WAS MY FIRST TIME AND IT WON’T BE MY LAST! I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE.
IT TAKES A WHILE TO THINK IT’S FINE TO
TOWER OVER PEOPLE. I DIDN’T LIKE BEING SO TALL – I WAS 5FT 10IN – WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. I WAS ALWAYS THE TALLEST IN CLASS, TALLER THAN ALL THE BOYS, AND IT FELT A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE. IN MY TWENTIES, I DIDN’T REALLY MIND TOO MUCH, THEN BY THE TIME I’D GOT TO MY THIRTIES, I ACTIVELY LIKED IT. ONCE I PUT ON HEELS, I’M SIX FOOT. WHEN WE FILM Antiques Roadshow, I’M QUITE OFTEN IN WEDGES AS WE’RE FILMING ON GRASS, AND I’LL BE TOWERING OVER PEOPLE I’M INTERVIEWING LIKE A GREAT DANE. IF IT’S REALLY NOTICEABLE, I TAKE MY SHOES OFF.
EVERY TIME I LOOK IN THE MIRROR, I SEE MY MOTHER. I USED TO THINK I LOOKED MORE LIKE MY DAD BUT, HONESTLY, YOU REALLY DO GROW INTO YOUR MOTHER. SO I’M REMINDED OF HER CONSTANTLY. MY DAD ENCOUNTERED MANY OBSTACLES IN HIS LIFE – HE CAME FROM GREAT POVERTY AND ENDED UP BEING A VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN DUE TO HARD WORK AND INTELLIGENCE. HE’S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW. I THINK I’VE INHERITED SOME OF
HIS DRIVE AND DETERMINATION – I HOPE SO, ANYWAY. MY MUM WAS JUST A LOVELY, LOVELY MOTHER. CONSTANT AND LOVING. I TRY TO BE AS GOOD A MOTHER AS SHE WAS – ALTHOUGH I’M SURE I FALL SHORT. SHE WOULD HAVE
BEEN REALLY CHUFFED I DESCRIBED HER AS THAT – IT’S SUCH A SHAME SHE WON’T SEE IT.
I MISS MY PARENTS TERRIBLY. MY MOTHER DIED OF CANCER IN 2011, AND THEN A YEAR LATER MY FATHER; THAT’S QUITE A RECKONING IN LIFE. YOU’RE NOW AT THE TOP OF YOUR FAMILY STRUCTURE, AND THAT UNCONDITIONAL LOVE THAT ONLY PARENTS CAN HAVE FOR THEIR CHILDREN – WELL, IT’S A BIG KNOCK WHEN IT’S GONE. FORTUNATELY, I’M VERY HAPPILY MARRIED
AND HAVE LOVELY CHILDREN OF MY OWN.
MIA’S 15 NOW, AND IT’S SO DIFFERENT BEING A TEENAGER TODAY. THERE ARE CERTAIN COMMON THEMES SUCH AS INTENSE FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS – MY FRIENDSHIPS FROM SCHOOL WERE intense, AND THAT’S WHY THEY’VE SURVIVED UNTIL TODAY. THAT DOESN’T CHANGE. BUT NOW EVERY COUGH AND
SPIT OF SOMEONE’S EXISTENCE CAN BE DOCUMENTED ONLINE, AND THAT’S PRETTY PRESSURISED. ULTIMATELY, YOU CAN’T TAKE YOUR KIDS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA BUT YOU CAN ADVISE THEM TO USE IT SENSIBLY. ALTHOUGH IF YOU THINK YOU CAN GET A 15-YEAR-OLD TO LISTEN TO YOUR ADVICE, THEN GOOD LUCK!
I KNOW IT MUST SOUND ABSURD BUT WE STILL HAVE A NANNY. CLARE HAS BEEN WITH US FOR 19 YEARS. OBVIOUSLY, WE DON’T REALLY need A NANNY ANYMORE, BUT SHE’S PART OF OUR FAMILY. FROM FEBRUARY TO SEPTEMBER, I’M WORKING A LOT, AND MY HUSBAND WORKS A LOT TOO, AND IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME THAT SOMEONE IS IN
THE HOUSE WHEN MIA COMES HOME FROM SCHOOL. PLUS I’M INCREDIBLY FOND OF CLARE!
THAT’S NOT TO SAY THAT I DON’T FEEL GUILTY AS A WORKING MOTHER, BUT I FEEL less GUILTY. THE TRADE-OFF FOR ME IS THAT IF
I’M GOING TO BE WORKING A LOT, MY SOCIAL LIFE HAS TO BE VIRTUALLY ZERO. BECAUSE OTHERWISE I WON’T SEE MY FAMILY.
ON BEING HERSELF
I USED TO COMPARE MYSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE TOO MUCH. I THINK IT’S A COMMON TRAP TO GET INTO. EARLIER ON IN MY CAREER, I WOULD LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE AND THINK, “I NEED TO BE MORE LIKE THEM.” THEN MY HUSBAND SAID, WHICH IS SO OBVIOUS, “YOU CAN ONLY BE WHO YOU ARE.” AND OF COURSE THAT’S TRUE OF ALL OF US. I HAVE STOPPED THINKING LIKE THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND IT’S DEFINITELY A RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS. I AM THE PERSON I AM, AND THAT’S ALL RIGHT.
I TEND NOT TO GET TOO STRESSED, BUT IF I DO THEN I FIND RUNNING IS HELPFUL. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I WAS WORKING SO MUCH
THAT I FELT SLIGHTLY SUFFOCATED AND NEEDED TO FIND HALF AN HOUR TO RUN, TO FEEL I WAS MENTALLY ON TOP OF IT. WHAT I DID ALSO DECIDE WAS TO NOT GET MYSELF IN THAT SITUATION AGAIN BUT TO MANAGE MY TIME BETTER AND NOT SAY “YES” TO EVERYTHING.
WHAT MAKES ME MORE IN THE MOMENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS HORSE RIDING. I’VE ONLY BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS AND I’M NOT VERY GOOD AT IT BUT YOU HAVE TO BE UTTERLY IN THE MOMENT – ALWAYS THINKING, “WHAT’S YOUR HORSE DOING? WHAT’S AHEAD?” I FEEL MORE AT PEACE DOING THAT THAN ANYTHING ELSE. THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE I WANT TO DO PHYSICAL THINGS.
I’M NOT INTERESTED IN STUFF ANY MORE; I’M INTERESTED IN DOING THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY. BEING WITH MY FAMILY, ACTIVITIES THAT PUT ME IN THE MOMENT – NOTHING MAKES ME HAPPIER IN LIFE. W&H
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW will mark its 40th anniversary this autumn on BBC One