Kirsty’s happy in her own skin

Television sports host tells Katie Wright how lockdown helped her conquer fears of loneliness which had affected her in the past

PRESENTER Kirsty Gallacher is remaining upbeat, despite being hit by coronavirus earlier this year.

The Scot said she feels “very, very lucky” to have spent lockdown in her “dream house” – a barn conversion in the Berkshire countryside she bought at the end of last year.

She said: “It was almost fate, looking back because [the house purchase] nearly fell through last summer.

“We were in heaven, really, compared to a lot of people who were stuck in cities.”

Kirsty was joined some of the time by sons Oscar, 13, and Jude, 10, who split their time between her and her ex-husband, former rugby player Paul Sampson. The couple split in 2015.

She had Covid at the end of March but said she only had the virus “moderately”, adding: “I had all of the things – sickness, and, sorry to say it, diarrhoea. I also had the cough.”

Her parents caught the virus from her – when she wasn’t showing symptoms – but all made a full recovery and now, the 44-year-old is looking on the bright side.

She said being forced to spend more time alone has helped her learn how to be happy on her own – something she struggled with in the past.

Kirsty said: “That was a real problem for me and caused me major distress when I got divorced. It was one of the biggest causes of my terrible couple of years of anxiety, not dealing with things very well as I couldn’t be on my own.

“I cope better now and I’m much happier in my own skin.”

Earlier this year, the former Sky Sports News presenter took on a role as brand ambassador for a non-invasive skin treatment called Ultherapy.

She said: “It’s an amazing treatment that uses ultrasound energy to give your skin’s collagen production a boost.”

Kirsty said that before she was approached by Ultherapy, she was considering other anti-ageing treatments but “wasn’t ready for needles” and added she finds it worrying so many young people are having fillers.

She said: “I get really upset when I see 16, 17, 18-year-old girls or boys plumping their lips up. I would discourage anyone that young from having an invasive treatment as you just don’t know what you’re going to be dealing with in 20 years.”

During lockdown, the broadcaster, who is launching a podcast next month, has been enjoying not wearing make-up and admitted she was shocked when she saw herself fully made-up for a virtual interview on Good Morning Britain.

She said: “I looked at myself after and I thought, ‘Oh God, you look awful.’”

So, it’s no surprise her favourite cosmetic products are about enhancing natural beauty.