HOW WE ESCAPE

From box set binges to mindful moments, three famous faces tell Nathalie Whittle how they switch off from stress…

FAMOUS FACES ON HOW THEY SWITCH OFF FROM STRESS

Loose Women PRESENTER ANDREA MCLEAN, 47, LIVES WITH HER PARTNER, NICK FEENEY, IN SURREY. SHE HAS TWO CHILDREN, FINLAY, 15, AND AMY, 10.

I USED TO TRY TO HIDE THE FACT THAT I SUFFER FROM SOCIAL ANXIETY – BUT NOW I REALISE I’M NOT ALONE. I MANAGE IT BY PRACTISING MINDFULNESS USING THE HEADSPACE APP ON MY PHONE; IT’S MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE TO MY MENTAL WELLBEING. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I’VE BEEN ON THE TRAIN AND FELT MYSELF GETTING STRESSED OUT, THEN I’VE LISTENED TO A MEDITATION AND LITERALLY FELT THE TENSION EASING OUT OF MY BODY. IT’S HELPED ME TO THINK MUCH MORE CLEARLY.

ALL PARENTS HAVE GOT TO THAT POINT WHERE IF THEY DON’T GET OUT OF THE HOUSE THEY’RE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING THEY REGRET, HAVEN’T THEY? WELL, I HAVE! THAT’S WHEN I’LL GRAB THE DOG – A LABRADOODLE CALLED JACKSON – AND GO FOR A WALK AROUND THE BLOCK TO CALM DOWN AND GATHER MY THOUGHTS. I’LL EVEN JUST SIT ON A BENCH WHILE HE’S LOOKING AT ME AS IF TO SAY, “THIS IS THE MOST RUBBISH WALK IN THE WORLD.” SERIOUSLY THOUGH, YOU SHOULD TRY IT – EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO BORROW SOMEONE ELSE’S DOG!

WHEN I MET NICK THREE YEARS AGO, I WASN’T LOOKING FOR LOVE. I’D RESIGNED MYSELF TO THE IDEA THAT I WOULDN’T GET ANOTHER CHANCE AT LOVE [ANDREA HAS BEEN DIVORCED TWICE] AND I WAS OK WITH THAT. THEN ONE OF THE MAKE-UP ARTISTS AT WORK SET ME UP ON A BLIND DATE WITH NICK, A BUSINESSMAN, AND THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING. THEY DO SAY YOU FIND LOVE WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT

IT! NOW I BELIEVE IN SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH CHANCES AT LIFE, NOT JUST AT LOVE.

NICK HAS TWO KIDS WHO ARE SIMILAR AGES TO MINE AND WE RECENTLY WENT ON OUR FIRST HOLIDAY AS A “BLENDED”

“PRACTISING MINDFULNESS HAS MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE TO MY MENTAL WELLBEING”

FAMILY, WHICH WAS LOVELY. WE DIDN’T TELL THE KIDS WHERE WE WERE GOING UNTIL THE WOMAN AT CHECK-IN SAID, “SO, WHERE ARE YOU FLYING TO TODAY?” AND THERE WERE SHOUTS OF “TENERIFE! BARCELONA!” – IT WAS ACTUALLY BARBADOS! WE FOUND THIS LOVELY HOTEL WHERE THE KIDS COULD DO WATERSPORTS ALL DAY – AND THEY SERVED MOJITOS FROM 11AM, SO I WAS HAPPY! MY MANTRA HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO TREAT ALL THE KIDS THE SAME – I TELL THEM, “IF I WILL LOVE YOU THE SAME, I WILL TELL YOU OFF THE SAME,” SO ONCE WE’RE ALL TOGETHER THERE’S NO TIPTOEING ABOUT, AND IT SEEMS TO WORK.

I FEEL REALLY SORRY FOR NICK BECAUSE HE HAS TO LIVE WITH THE “BEFORE” VERSION OF ME – WHILE THE REST OF THE WORLD GETS TO SEE THE “AFTER” VERSION!

THE MINUTE I’M HOME, IT’S A PONYTAIL, GLASSES, LEGGINGS, BAGGY JUMPER…

ALL THE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE IN THE SIDEBAR OF SHAME! I’M AMAZED WHEN PEOPLE RECOGNISE ME IN THE STREET BECAUSE I LOOK TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

I HAVE TO ADMIT, WHEN THE KIDS GO TO THEIR DAD’S, I’M VERY GOOD AT TURNING “MUM” OFF. I’LL SLEEP UNTIL 10AM, BARELY GET DRESSED AND CATCH UP ON ALL THE TV DRAMAS I’VE MISSED WITH A FEW GLASSES OF RED WINE. AND ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO IS TO SIT ON MY RATTAN

COUCH ON THE PORCH IN THE BACK GARDEN – EVEN IF IT’S RAINING. WHEN I’M SAT

THERE WITH MY FEET UP, I FEEL LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD IS A THOUSAND MILES AWAY.

I CAN’T QUITE BELIEVE IT’S MY TENTH YEAR ON Loose Women – I’M LITERALLY CLINGING ON SO I MUST HAVE THE STRONGEST FINGERNAILS IN SHOWBUSINESS! THE NICEST PART IS THAT THE “LOOSE LADIES” ARE NOW SOME OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS – THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT ME THAN ANYONE BECAUSE WE’RE SO HONEST WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR LIVES. WE OFTEN DISAGREE ON THINGS – NADIA [SAWALHA] AND KAYE [ADAMS] HAVE KIDS THE SAME AGE AS MINE AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT SORT OF PARENTING WE THINK WORKS –

BUT WE SHARE OUR WORRIES, SUCCESS

AND FAILURE STORIES, AND THAT HELPS. I WOULDN’T WANT TO BE WITHOUT THEM NOW.

LOOSE WOMEN airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV JODIE WHITTAKER, 35, IS BEST-KNOWN FOR HER ROLE IN ITV’S Broadchurch, AND HAS STARRED IN SCI-FI FILM Attack the Block, AND COMEDY Adult Life Skills. SHE PLAYS THE LEAD IN NEW BBC ONE THRILLER Trust Me. SHE LIVES IN LONDON WITH HER HUSBAND, ACTOR CHRISTIAN CONTRERAS, AND THEIR TWO-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.

IF I COULD BE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,

I’D PLONK MYSELF BY THE SEA. THE SOUND OF THE WATER IS THE MOST PERFECT ANTIDOTE TO ANY KIND OF STRESS. I’M NOT VERY GOOD AT ESCAPING, BUT MY FAVOURITE SPOT IS FILEY ON THE NORTH YORKSHIRE COAST. LEAVE ME ON THE BEACH WITH A CONE OF CHIPS AND I’M VERY HAPPY!

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SUMMER TRADITIONS IS GOING TO AN OUTDOOR FILM SCREENING AT SOMERSET HOUSE – I LOVE THAT TIME. A FEW YEARS AGO, THEY WERE SHOWING A DOUBLE BILL OF Die Hard AND Attack the Block – AND AS I SAT THERE WITH ALL MY MATES HAVING A PICNIC, I COULDN’T QUITE BELIEVE I WAS WATCHING ONE FILM THAT’S AN ABSOLUTE CLASSIC – AND ONE THAT I WAS ACTUALLY IN!

IT WASN’T UNTIL I DID Broadchurch THAT I STARTED GETTING RECOGNISED A LOT MORE. MY CHARACTER BETH’S HAIR WAS BROWN AND I’VE GOT A PEROXIDE BLONDE BOB IN REAL LIFE, SO I USUALLY GET PEOPLE STARING AT ME FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE THEY HAVE THAT A-HA MOMENT! FORTUNATELY, THAT KIND OF RECOGNITION HAS COME AT A TIME WHERE I’M OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IT DOESN’T EQUAL ANYTHING – BUT I ALSO NOW KNOW THAT I DON’T NEED TO FEAR IT EITHER.

I WAS OBSESSED WITH PLAYING MAKEBELIEVE WHEN I WAS A KID AND I GUESS THAT NEVER WORE OFF. I WASN’T ACADEMIC AT SCHOOL – I FAILED MY MATHS GCSE TWICE AND I ONLY GOT FIVE GCSES ABOVE A D, BUT MY CAREERS ADVISERS TOLD ME IT WAS CHILDISH TO THINK I WAS GOING TO GO TO DRAMA SCHOOL AND BECOME AN ACTOR. THANK GOD I DIDN’T LISTEN! I OWE A LOT TO MY PARENTS – MY MUM, A NURSE-TURNEDMAGISTRATE, AND BUSINESSMAN DAD >>

“THE SOUND OF THE SEA IS THE PERFECT ANTIDOTE TO ANY KIND OF STRESS”

– FOR NOT TAKING THE SAME VIEW. IT’S SO IMPORTANT THAT ACHIEVEMENTS AREN’T JUST SEEN IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

THERE ISN’T A SECRET TO FINDING A BALANCE – IF SOMEONE HAD NAILED IT, I THINK THEY’D HAVE SOLD A MILLION BOOKS BY NOW! IT’S A MINEFIELD FOR US ALL, ISN’T IT? I CAN’T SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE, BUT BECOMING A MUM REALLY CHANGED ME. I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY NOW, AND I WANT TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MY DAUGHTER FEELS COMFORTABLE BEING WHO SHE WANTS TO BE BECAUSE THAT’S HOW I WAS BROUGHT UP. IT’S MADE ME REALISE HOW BRILLIANT MY MUM AND DAD WERE – I DON’T THINK I EVER REALLY APPRECIATED IT UNTIL NOW.

I DON’T THINK ANYONE WITH A FAMILY CAN SIT AND HAVE QUIET TIME, CAN THEY? MY “ME” TIME IS WHEN I’M LISTENING TO A GOOD PODCAST – USUALLY ON THE TUBE OR ON A BUS! I RECENTLY FINISHED S-Town, A TRUECRIME PODCAST BY THE PEOPLE WHO MADE Serial AND This American Life – IT BLEW MY MIND! IT’S FASCINATING, MOVING, FUNNY, SAD... HONESTLY, HAVE A LISTEN.

I TREASURE MY FEMALE FRIENDS MORE THAN ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE’S A SISTERHOOD WITH WOMEN THAT CAN’T BE EXPLAINED. I CALL THEM MY “LIFERS”! THEY’RE SCATTERED ALL OVER THE WORLD AND I MISS THEM A LOT – BUT THE WAY I SEE IT IS THAT IT MEANS WE HAVE HOMES IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT PLACES FOR EACH OTHER. ONE OF THEM, TOR, IS

THE MOST AMAZING HOST AND WHEN SHE THROWS A GET-TOGETHER, WE’LL ALL BE THERE!

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT A GOOD PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER THAT LETS YOU ESCAPE, ISN’T THERE? IN MY NEW TV SERIES, Trust Me, I PLAY CATH, A SISTER ON A HOSPITAL WARD WHO GETS SUSPENDED FOR WHISTLE-BLOWING ABOUT CARE STANDARDS. SHE’S A SINGLE PARENT LEFT IN A DESPERATE SITUATION WHERE SHE HAS NO JOB AND NO MONEY, AND IT COINCIDES WITH HER BEST FRIEND, AN A&E DOCTOR, EMIGRATING TO NEW ZEALAND. SHE HAS A MOMENT OF MADNESS WHERE SHE DECIDES TO STEAL THE IDENTITY OF HER FRIEND AND START A NEW LIFE. SHE’S NOT A “BADDIE”, SHE’S A FLAWED CHARACTER AS WE ALL ARE, AND SHE HAS TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING A LIE, AS YOU’LL SEE.

TRUST ME is on BBC One this summer EX- EastEnders STAR TRACY-ANN OBERMAN, 49, LIVES IN LONDON WITH HER HUSBAND, MUSIC PRODUCER ROB COWAN, AND THEIR DAUGHTER, ANOUSHKA, 10.

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WAS NERVOUS OF BEING OUT OF WORK – NOW I REALISE IT’S ALL ABOUT FINDING A WORK-LIFE BALANCE. OF COURSE, GETTING HOME AT MIDNIGHT AND TRYING TO LEARN LINES WHILE MAKING MY DAUGHTER’S PACKED LUNCH IS HARDLY IT – BUT THESE DAYS IF WORK DOESN’T FIT IN WITH SPENDING TIME WITH THE PEOPLE I LOVE, THEN I WON’T DO IT.

I DIDN’T THINK I’D EVER HAVE KIDS. I WAS IN MY MID-THIRTIES BY THE TIME WE STARTED TRYING AND AFTER A MISCARRIAGE, I WAS TOLD I PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE A CHILD AT ALL, WHICH WAS DIFFICULT. THEN I WENT ON HOLIDAY TO INDIA IN-BETWEEN FILMING Doctor Who AND I HAD LOADS OF AYURVEDIC TREATMENTS WITH A THERAPIST WHO SAID, “YOU’RE GOING TO GO HOME WITH A BABY.” I THOUGHT, “I DOUBT IT!” BUT WITHIN THREE DAYS OF BEING HOME, I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO VOMIT EVERY TWO MINUTES… AND YES, I WAS PREGNANT!

GOING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES – MY DAD DYING OF A HEART ATTACK IN MY TWENTIES AND BEING CAUGHT UP IN THE THAILAND TSUNAMI ON HONEYMOON – HAS MADE ME APPRECIATE THAT EVERYTHING PASSES, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. I USED TO GET TRAPPED IN AN EMOTION AND FEEL AS IF I WAS NEVER GOING TO GET OUT, BUT I’VE LEARNED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AN EMOTION – THEN MOVE FORWARD FROM IT.

KNOWING THERE’S SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE WHO YOU CAN TALK TO ABOUT ANYTHING IS SO IMPORTANT. I’VE KNOWN THREE OF MY BEST FRIENDS SINCE I WAS 12 AND I CHERISH THE TIME WHEN WE MEET UP. I’VE ALSO MADE A WONDERFUL NEW

FRIEND RECENTLY –

AMANDA HOLDEN, WHO I STARRED WITH IN THE PLAY Stepping Out – I JUST ADORE HER. SHE’S A REAL WOMAN’S WOMAN, A WONDERFUL MOTHER AND, LET ME TELL YOU, SHE’S VERY FUNNY!

I LOVE GETTING LOST IN A GOOD BOX SET – IT’S WHAT BRINGS ROB AND I TOGETHER WHEN ANOUSHKA’S ASLEEP. WE ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND OURSELVES SAT THERE ON THE SOFA SAYING, “JUST ONE MORE EPISODE!”

MY NEW PLAY, Fiddler on the Roof, FEELS A BIT LIKE A DOCUMENTARY OF MY FAMILY HISTORY. MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER GREW UP IN THE PALE OF SETTLEMENT, A JEWISH GHETTO NEAR KIEV, AND THERE WERE THESE TERRIBLE POGROMS AND BEHEADINGS THERE. HER PARENTS SENT HER TO LONDON WHERE SHE GOT A FACTORY JOB IN THE EAST END. SHE USED TO TALK A LOT ABOUT HER TIME IN THAT VILLAGE AND EVERY TIME WE’D WATCH THE FILM, SHE’D SAY, “OH, IT WAS JUST LIKE THAT!”

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF runs at Chichester Festival Theatre from 10 July-2 Sept. Visit cft.org.uk W&H