Jenny: “I’m happier & sexier than ever at 50”
TV presenter Jenny Powell opens up to Closer about finding love again after her divorce and coping with depression, with the help of good friend Denise Welch
As Jenny Powell emerges A from the changing room in a bikini on our exclusive photo shoot there are shrieks of “Oh my gosh, look at your figure!” from the entire team. While she confidently strikes a pose with her toned abs and glowing skin, it’s hard to believe she celebrated her 50th birthday last month. And the TV presenter – who became famous in the ’90s hosting shows like Wheel Of Fortune – is justifiably proud of her body.
“If I’d been standing in a bikini for a photo shoot ten years ago, I would have been a quivering wreck. But if I’m being honest, I feel happier, sexier, and more body-confident than ever. Gosh, don’t I sound cocky?” she giggles.
“Confidence comes with age and these days I’m more honest and accepting of myself. Don’t get me wrong, some things are a bit greyer and droopier, but on the whole, I feel good. I like my legs, my shoulders and my décolletage. I’ve always obsessed over my tummy, but I’m learning to let go of my niggles,” she adds.
And while most women do everything they can to reverse the ageing process, Jenny – who is mum to daughters, Connie, 17, and Pollyanna, eight, with ex-husband Tony Baxendale – is embracing everything about getting older. Apart from a boob job after the birth of her youngest daughter, she shuns the thought of any more surgery. She explains, “Everyone is so body-conscious these days and whether you’re 17 or 70 there’s huge pressure on women. It saddens me to see women losing confidence and digging themselves an early grave! Don’t get me wrong, I had a wobble about turning 50, but I’ve got a gorgeous family, a fiancé, and so much to live for.”
CHANGE IN ATTITUDE
Despite having a figure of someone half her age, refreshingly Jenny isn’t a slave to the gym, nor does she deprive herself of the foods she loves. In fact, she credits her fiancé Martin – who she met ten years ago at London’s Euston train station while sipping coffee – with changing her attitude towards health and fitness.
The size 10 star says, “For years I was on the road with production crews full of men who loved going to the pub and eating out, which meant I ate all the bad stuff too. Martin is so knowledgeable – he told me about the benefits of coconut oil years ago, he taught me all about gut health, mindfulness and encouraged me to lift weights and do yoga instead of cardio.”
In fact, as she talks about her fiancé, who is five years her junior, it’s hard to ignore the smile on Jenny’s face. She gushes, “Martin is wonderful and a true romantic. He gives me so much confidence and tells me I look great. I think there’s a responsibility for all men to do that, and not take their women for granted. I wasn’t expecting love when I found it. He’s never been married, yet I’ve got kids, I’m divorced and the rest!”
But Jenny’s cheery demeanour and zest for life is in stark contrast to how she felt a decade ago. The star has been open about her devastation over discovering her ex-husband Tony had been unfaithful with a younger woman while she was seven months pregnant with Pollyanna. Coupled with postnatal depression, she admits she felt her life was in tatters.
She candidly explains, “Having postnatal depression as my marriage broke down was a double whammy. I felt like I was the only one suffering in the world. One morning, my mum placed Pollyanna next to me and I felt like I couldn’t relate to her – I couldn’t even feel my legs.”
But she admits opening up and having counselling helped her recover.
She adds, “I often wonder now why I didn’t tell anyone sooner. Back then, talking about depression was taboo. I went online and found a counsellor
and she did me a world of good. I ended up seeing her for a year. She told me to eat well, get outside and focus on my baby. Opening up lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and I let go of anger and bitterness, but small things like walking, cooking and doing yoga helped get me through.”
Similarly, Jenny’s best pal, Loose Women panellist Denise Welch, has been open about her experiences of clinical depression, as well as her booze and weight battles. And Jenny admits the actress is one of her biggest inspirations.
INSPIRATIONAL PAL
She says, “Denise is a really good friend of mine and a great role model. We recently went on a girls trip to St Tropez – all the bikinis were out for that trip! We sort of attracted each other with our attitudes, she’s quite inspirational considering what she’s been through and how she’s turned things around. She took me under her wing when I moved to Cheshire and went through my divorce.
Jenny adds, “There’s a strength and a substance about Denise that I’ve always admired. She’s old-school and real as they come. We laughed the other day about her turning 60 and me turning 50, it feels great to be reaching big milestones together – our lives are just beginning!”
‘Denise is a great role model’