Lorraine I’m proud to be 60
The queen of daytime TV shares life lessons with Rick Fulton
LORRAINE Kelly reigns as queen of daytime TV – and this year is extra special. She’s celebrating 35 years on her ITV morning show and next Saturday, she turns 60.
But off screen, life hasn’t always been easy. She suffered a miscarriage and four years ago, unaware she was going through the menopause, felt she was “losing control” and was beset by constant anxiety.
In 2012, she was trampled by a horse in a horror accident which left her scarred for life.
This year she made the news when she won a £1.2million battle with HMRC after a judge ruled she was a “theatrical artist”.
Lorraine is circumspect as she nears her big birthday.
She said: “I’ve got to the stage where I’ve accepted myself, scars and all and know I’ll always have a floating few pounds that I can lose or gain but that’s OK. It’s about being content and happy in yourself at the end of the day and then you can’t help shining.
“Age really doesn’t matter, so I don’t mind at all. I’m proud to be 60. I was never a particularly confident person but I’ve got a lot more comfortable in my skin over the past two years.
“It’s realising nobody’s perfect and nobody has the perfect body – remarkably even supermodels feel like that. Nowadays we have great role models with people like Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren and Joan Collins showing us we can look glamorous, sexy and sassy at any age.”
A fierce advocate for zumba, she has a slimmer waist now than she did in her 20s thanks to the classes and even joined the celeb workout DVD craze with her Living to the Max with Maxine Jones.
The mum of one hoots with laughter at being called a celebrity. “I don’t think I’m in the celebrity club at all.
“I just happen to do a job that’s on the telly.”
Celebs usually end up doing reality shows. Lorraine is OK at the moment – viewing figures for her morning programme are the highest they’ve been for a decade. But if she did it wouldn’t be the one you’d think of.
“The only one I’d love to go on is SAS: Who Dares Wins,” said the presenter who was born in
Glasgow’s Gorbals.
“I think I’d be gritty enough to cope, and I love physical and mental challenges and being pushed. I definitely don’t want to go in the jungle and eat kangaroo a***holes, and I can’t cook or dance.”
Kelly now lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, cameraman Steve Smith. Their only child, Rosie, lives in Singapore. She and Steve wanted more children but Lorraine miscarried in 2001.
“It was very hard,” she said. “I’d have loved more children but it just didn’t happen. It’s not something which eats away at me because I feel very lucky we have one healthy, happy 25-year-old daughter.
“She’s a generous, lovely girl and definitely the greatest achievement of my life.” The menopause hit her about the age of 54 when she admitted: “I just wasn’t coping or enjoying life and was constantly knackered but I simply couldn’t understand why.
“I found it hard sometimes to get out of bed. I never let it affect my work but when I was there I had to paint on a smile, just like we all do when we’re having a tough time.”
After a weekend away with Steve in Spain, Lorraine spoke to TV’s Dr Hilary Jones who diagnosed the menopause which was triggering her anxiety.
Lorraine said: “It was such a relief to know what was wrong and I’ve been on HRT for four years, which has really helped. I’m so glad the menopause has been dragged into the light so women don’t have to suffer in silence.”
The presenter has shared her life lessons in a new book which aims to help people take control of their lives.
● Shine: Discover A Brighter You by Lorraine Kelly is out now.