‘CONTROVERSIAL? I’M JUST AHEAD OF THE CURVE,’

says Kirstie Allsopp

Are we better off than our mothers? Not necessarily

It’s fair to say that Kirstie Allsopp is one very busy woman. As well as filming her new series of Channel 4 show Love It Or List It, she’s found time to write her first cookbook and there’s a never-ending stream of craft projects. She juggles it along with being Mum to Bay, 11, and Oscar, nine, her sons with partner Ben Anderson, a property developer, as well as stepmum to Ben’s sons Orion, 18, and Hal, 15.

At our shoot, it’s impossible not to notice Kirstie’s weight loss. With the help of health guru Amelia Freer, Kirstie cut out sugar, potatoes and wine – and has dropped an impressive two stone. But it’s not just Kirstie losing weight that grabs headlines – her outspoken views set the media alight. Last year she made her feelings known about kitchen-dwelling washing machines (‘Disgusting’ – Kirstie would much prefer we kept them in a bathroom) and was accused of being out of touch.

So today when GH speaks to Kirstie, she answers back about causing controversy, the perils of ageing and wanting more children… Do you think you’ll ever get bored of spending so much time in other people’s houses? No, because it’s humans. It’s homes. It’s families. What other job am I going to do where I get to see homes all over the UK? I could’ve had a totally different life [due to her background] where I’d never have known what it’s like for the majority of people to get to work, to get home, to get tea cooked, to get the laundry done. I was furious when the great washingmachine debate kicked off that people were saying it was an example of how out of touch I was. It’s quite the reverse. I see so many women who say to me, ‘Oh, for God’s sake, I want the washing machine out of the kitchen, and I have nowhere to put the dirty laundry and it’s always there reminding me stuff needs to be done.’ How do you think you have turned out?

I could have been a Home Counties mum shuffling her children from one boarding school to another, riding in her spare time. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you’re doing a hell of a lot of volunteering and working to fundraise for local organisations. I never intended to have a career. I dodged all the career sessions at school and told the careers teacher that I intended to get married and have four children and I had no need for careers. I wasn’t going to be that person. So life has turned out quite differently. Can you imagine a time when you won’t be on TV? Yes, of course – but I’ll be doing something else. Campaigning of some kind. I’ll never stop working. I have no concept of retirement. The most terrifying thing about the children growing up is, ‘What do I do when I don’t have to not work in order to be with the children?’ I’ll just have to work all the time. I’m dreading the children getting older – it’s heartbreaking how fast they grow. It shatters me. You brought out a cookbook last year – will you ever rival Nigella?

Absolutely not – but I really want to do a cookery show. There isn’t a show in which lay people learn to cook and I hope what I did with the book is maintain that I’m a lay person and I’m still learning all the time. It’s obvious you’ve lost a lot of weight. It’s not as much as I want to lose so it’s a work in progress. I sort of go in fits and starts. It remains incredibly difficult to lose weight when you are filming. Had you been on a diet before?

No, because weight crept up on me between the ages of 40 and 44, and I never

was interested in being any thinner than I was when I was in my 20s and 30s. I was probably always a stone overweight, then suddenly I was three stone overweight and I was like, ‘Oh my God, how did this happen?’ I knew that being overweight on your 50th birthday was the number one factor for breast cancer so I actively decided to lose weight. What do you think about the interest in your weight loss?

Totally bizarre. It’s really surprising because I’d never discussed weight in interviews. I was always, like everything else, just sort of quite laissez-faire about things. It’s not like I’ve become Kate Moss – I’ve still got quite a long way to go before I’m entirely happy. You’re 47 this year – how do you feel about getting older?

You’re fine on so many levels, but the downside is you put on weight much more easily, you don’t metabolise alcohol so well, and you can’t go anywhere without your bloody specs. The specs thing is doing my head in! I had 20/20 vision. I was the girl who never had to go to the hairdressers because why would you colour your hair? I just had black hair and that was that. Now I’m a grey-haired old woman. I get my hair coloured, and I can’t see a menu, pick up a newspaper or read a magazine

Don’t look at me and think I do it all, because I don’t

without my specs. Sad, really.

We’re celebrating 100 years since women first got the vote. How do you feel about equality? I don’t believe that men and women are the same. I think they have different approaches to life, different skill sets and different ways of computing things, and I think that is a positive. In our family, I contribute one thing, Ben contributes another and it comes together pretty well most of the time. I used to think that inequality was on the wane and that there wasn’t much sexism around in the western world. I don’t think that any more. That’s sad.

What manner of sexism?

General mansplaining. I see it in young men as well as older men. I don’t necessarily buy the argument that the younger generation are more respectful of women. They may be more knowledgeable but I don’t think they’re particularly more admiring of women. And maybe one shouldn’t be admiring of a sex in general. You should be admiring of specific people.

So much is expected of women these days – to look good, to have a family, be successful. What do you think the answer is? Money! Help! Don’t look at me and think I do it all. I don’t. In the context of talking about sexism, a lot is expected of women, yes. I don’t want to malign Location’s Phil Spencer as you know I love him, but he doesn’t have to do his hair and make his face up before appearing for work. Imagine if I just got out of bed, washed my face… It would not go down well!

Do you think women are worse off now than 100 years ago?

No, because of five things. Contraception. Legal, safe access to abortion. The right

to own property. The right to vote. And blood transfusions. Are we better off than our mothers? Not necessarily. That’s an interesting debate. Have we made a rod for our own back? I think that there are one or two monster myths that exist. Such as?

That bringing up children is boring. I think that childcare is incredibly important and caring for your own children is a fantastic choice, and the number of people I know who work simply in order to pay for their childcare is really bizarre. You’re open about having help with looking after your sons. I’m very lucky. I’ve had the same nanny for 11 years. She and I have a close relationship. She’s the only person as interested in my children as I am! Obviously Ben is, but probably not quite as interested in the minutiae of the children’s lives as Heather is.

Did you take time off when you had your kids?

Not half as much as I should have. With Bay, I went back when he was six months old. But you have to remember I have the perfect job because I don’t work in the school holidays.

Would you have liked to have more children?

Yes. I always wanted children. I wish I had seven. Or eight. Or nine or 10. I’d have loved to have had more, but I think Ben probably would’ve marched out the door and said ‘Enough!’

You’re famous for being pretty controversial…

Funnily enough, that I deny. I don’t think I have controversial opinions. It’s just a passionate belief in being honest. But sometimes, really, I’m just ahead of the curve. It’s not controversy – it’s being ahead of the curve. Have you ever been offended by negative comments about your opinions? Only if people say I’m out of touch.

Do you ever worry about being too old for TV? Where do you see yourself in 20 years’ time? Years from now, I’ll be forced, kicking and screaming, to relinquish my steely grip on the show. I will just make a pest of myself in pursuit of funds for Home Start [a family support charity] and Keep Britain Tidy, and do something that will draw attention to a cause. That’s a good ambition. I’ll celebrate my 70th birthday with a naked walk picking up litter around the UK. ◆ A new series of Kirstie and Phil’s show Love It Or List It starts in January on Channel 4

Caring for your own children is a fantastic choice