Single mum Josie: “I’ve been so scared – but friends have helped ease my anxiety”
After breaking down live on This Morning, Josie Gibson talks about her lockdown struggles, leaning on her pals for support, and being tempted to indulge during isolation!
She’s admitted to feeling paranoid and anxious during the first few weeks of lockdown, struggling at home as a single mum with a toddler. But Josie Gibson says that the pandemic has also helped remind her what is important in life.
The TV star – who is mum to son Reggie, 19 months – made headlines last month when she broke down live on This Morning during a segment discussing lockdown with Davina McCall and Vanessa Feltz.
Opening up to Closer, Josie says, “I felt silly afterwards, but I was talking about how I’d never take human interaction for granted again and suddenly got emotional. Davina (who Josie knows from Big Brother in 2010, and The Jump in 2017) video-called me afterwards and was so lovely – she’s always there for me. She’s such a wise owl and has a very warm heart.”
FEELING GUILTY
Josie, 35, admits she found isolation and anxiety over the pandemic hard to cope with at first, particularly as she’s a single mum after splitting from Reggie’s dad, property developer Terry, at the end of 2018. Though the former couple are now back on good terms and Reggie sees his dad regularly.
“Terry has asthma and other respiratory issues, so the thought of the virus made me really anxious at first,” admits Josie. “I kept thinking, ‘Is my son’s dad going to be OK?’ For three weeks I was too scared to even go to the park for a walk. I’d take a bottle of bleach to the supermarket to clean the trolley and would then go around disinfecting every item I put in. Then I’d watch the news at night and feel guilty for being worried, because people are on the front line risking their lives.”
But Josie says some lovely acts of kindness from her friends have helped her feel more relaxed, and she’s now coping a lot better. “You realise you have some lovely friends at times like these,” she smiles. “My friends knew I was down, so they organised a Zoom call for us all to catch up; one left a care package at my front door, while another rode past my house on her bike holding a sign saying, ‘We love Josie & Reggie!’
“Alison Hammond (who Josie works with on This Morning) has also been a brilliant friend to me. We’ve been ringing each other in the evenings – she’s got such a wise head on her shoulders and she’s helped me so much. The days can be long with a toddler and Reg is so active, but we do baking at home and have play time and I’m enjoying doing some learning with him too.”
But Josie – who presents the ITV competitions segment on This Morning and Loose Women – admits spending every day at home and having a break from work has sapped her energy levels.
“I’ve got to the point where I don’t know if I’ve got a day’s work in me again now!” she laughs. “I quite like being at home all day, though I think I could be locked in for the next millennium and I wouldn’t get all my jobs done! I’ve become very lazy.”
Josie – who famously lost 6st in 2013, going from a size 20 to a size 8 – says that lockdown has also affected her eating habits. After having Reggie in September 2018, the 5ft 11 star dropped to a size 12-14 in six months through healthy eating, but says she’s put on weight and is now a size 18.
“Food is our only enjoyment at the moment,” she laughs. “I cooked a crumble the other day and I ate the lot! I’ve been
indulging like you wouldn’t believe – I feel gross and my belly is back. I see all these people doing Joe Wicks workouts and I wonder how they have the energy! If you can’t indulge in lockdown, when can you?”
VALUABLE LESSON
However, Josie says she is hoping to focus on toning up a little before the government guidelines are relaxed. “I don’t want to emerge from lockdown looking huge,” she says. “I’ve asked my friend who’s in the military to do me a training plan, and I’ve started eating Greek salads. I went on a bike ride the other day too and felt so much better afterwards.”
Although she’s feeling calmer now,
Josie says the events of recent weeks have taught her valuable lessons. “I don’t think I’ll ever underestimate the importance of a simple human hug,” she says. “Before this crisis, I was always saying to people, ‘Let’s meet up!’ But I was so wrapped up in my life, I didn’t find the time – now, I’m going to find the time. This really makes you think about what’s important.”
‘The days can be long… I’ve become very lazy!’