Luisa Zissman

Luisa Zissman chats to about why she’s ‘done’ with having babies, dealing with stalkers and the reason she’ll never get fillers in her lips

Luisa Zissman shot to fame thanks to her no-nonsense attitude on the ninth series of The Apprentice back in 2013. Since then, she’s divorced her first hubby Oliver, come fourth in Celebrity Big Brother, married Irish millionaire Andrew Collins, given birth to daughters Indigo, two, and 20-month-old Clementine, and launched her own podcast, Loose Lips, with Celebs Go Dating coach Anna Williamson.

It’s fair to say the 32-year-old entrepreneur, who’s also mum to nine-year-old daughter Dixie from her first marrriage, has done well for herself. And her rise to the top couldn’t be more obvious than when we arrive at her huge gated mansion in the middle of the Hertfordshire countryside. With acres of land, a generously sized annexe for her mum and dad to live in and a walk-in wardrobe to rival that of Kylie Jenner’s, we have to admit, we’re just a tiny bit jealous.

When we walk into her home, Luisa’s housekeeper is cleaning up the remnants of a party thrown two days earlier, while

the businesswoman is casually sitting in her kitchen getting her hair done in preparation for our shoot at her nearby stables. Luisa offers us a coffee from a machine that wouldn’t look out of place in Starbucks. Cuppa in hand, we settle down in her living room to discuss everything from raising three daughters to her new love of horse racing.

While Luisa is open to talking about most things, even admitting that she regularly wees herself in public, her husband Andrew is strictly off limits.

Here, Luisa chats about her fitness regime, her scary neardeath experience and why Loose Women needs her on the panel…

Hi Luisa! How is your jockey training going?

Good. It’s much harder than I expected, though. People think you just sit on a horse and ride but it’s not like that at all. It’s really physically demanding. Aren’t you a bit too tall to be a jockey?

I’m 5ft 4in, so I’m not that bad for a jockey. I’m one of the smallest riders in my races. Is horse riding where you see your career going now?

I’d love to get into equestrian presenting and mix my media experience with my love of horses.

Were you worried that the more established jockeys would give you stick at first because of who you are?

Definitely. I thought they’d think I was some idiot. A famous chick who thought she would be able to get on a racehorse, but not be able to ride. But it hasn’t been like that at all – they’ve been so helpful and they’re all lovely to me.

You’re training for a charity race in August. Will you keep riding professionally after that?

Definitely. Once you get the bug, that’s it. I ride six days a week and I love it.

You fell off a horse when you were 17. Did the accident change your life in any way?

I’m really forgetful now because of it. It obviously didn’t put me off horses though, as I got back on him with my leg still in plaster.

Have you had any bad falls since then?

No. Touch wood, I haven’t fallen off since I was 17 and I was airlifted to hospital. I really have a thing about not falling off.

We don’t blame you! Has training to be a jockey changed your body shape at all?

I’m a lot more toned, smaller and tighter. I feel fit and strong, too, which is such a nice feeling. I’m a size 8 and around 9st, which I’m happy with.

What else do you do to stay in shape?

I do Pilates and I have three personal trainers. I’ll do something every day. On an extreme day, I’ll ride out, do two PT sessions and Pilates.

I was doing Pilates every

day, but I just didn’t have the time to keep it up, so now I’m down to three days a week. I hate going to the gym.

Are you quite strict with your diet, too?

Yes. I don’t eat meat, fish or dairy – although sometimes I eat cheese. I’m predominantly vegan now, but not because I’m an animal crusader. The only meat I’ve ever eaten my whole life is chicken and I stopped eating that nearly four years ago when I was pregnant. I don’t miss it at all. It makes me feel sick.

Do you enjoy boozing?

I’m not one of those people who will open a bottle of wine at home. I’ll only drink if I go out. I only need one glass of wine and I’m drunk.

Have you ever been on a fad diet?

I did that Beyoncé one where you drink hot water with lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. I lasted about two days. I can’t do juice diets because I need food. What’s been your most embarrassing moment in public?

Oh my God, yesterday I was pre-recording a podcast and

I did a really bad fart. Anna [Williamson] started laughing, which meant I started laughing and then I peed myself as well.

I’d just had a spray tan and it made my white bottoms go brown so it looked like I’d shat myself! I full-on peed myself during a recent fitness test, too. Normally, if I’m running in the gym I’ll just stop, but because I was doing a bleep test I couldn’t. After that I had to do a riding assessment, so my legs were on fire. I’m quite open about how much I pee myself because the kids have ruined me.

You recently admitted you don’t want any more children and you hate newborn babies. Why’s that?

They’re just hard work. I find the whole thing boring and exhausting. I hated being pregnant, too.

I think, as a woman, you know when you’re done and I’m definitely done.

You got pregnant with

Clementine just five months after giving birth to Indigo. That must have been a shock…

No, it was planned. If it wasn’t I wouldn’t have had any more kids.

Dixie used to have your full attention. Is she good at sharing you with Indigo and Clementine?

Yes. She was an only child, but I wasn’t with her 24/7. She was six when Indie came along so she’s been great. When she’s in the mood she’ll change nappies, but when she’s not she’ll just ignore them.

How often does she see her dad?

A lot. We have a lovely relationship and his new wife is lovely. It’s very happy-clappy.

Out of your three girls who is the most like you?

Dixie’s like me but she’s a lot more sensitive than I’d like, which she gets from her father. Clemmie is the most chilled. She’s got a temper but it goes quickly. Indie is probably the most like me.

Would you consider adopting?

I have thought about it. My husband and I support an orphanage in Moldova and I fell in love with one of the girls there. I wanted to adopt her, but it wouldn’t have been right for us. I now take care of her from afar, but I don’t want another child. I always wanted to have a family when I was young and ideally have four by the time I was 30, so Clemmie just made it because I was 30 when I had her. But I’m done now.

You recently turned 32. Are you enjoying your thirties?

Oh God! I feel old when I’m riding because they’re all so

‘PEOPLE PROBABLY THINK I’M MORE OF A BITCH THAN I ACTUALLY AM’

young at the stables. And when I go out I now need a coat because I get cold and I never used to.

Does ageing worry you?

Not really. My vanity levels are pretty low compared to others. I don’t wear make-up on a daily basis. I don’t moisturise, cleanse or tone. I have no idea how I have good skin. I’d say I feel more confident in my thirties than ever before.

You had your breast implants removed last year. Do you have any regrets?

I had them out and then I had a reduction, a lift and smaller implants put in. They’re bigger than I wanted. They grew back a bit. I was a C cup naturally and now I’d say I’m probably pushing an E if I’m being honest with myself.

Have you had any other surgical procedures?

I have Botox on my forehead. I love the way it makes your skin look. I’ve had it since I was 27 because my best friend is Dr Leah [Totton] and she has her own clinic. We’ll go for dinner and I’ll be like, “Give me some of that!” I’ve never had filler, though.

Would you consider it?

I wouldn’t have it in my lips because I don’t like the duck-pout trend we’ve got going on. I was looking at my face the other day and thought it looked flat here [points around her cheeks], so I sent a picture to Leah and she said I’d have to have filler to fix it, so I thought I would hold off for a bit.

‘I FEEL MORE CONFIDENT IN MY THIRTIES THAN EVER BEFORE’

You recently enjoyed a night out dressed as Ginger Spice with Sam and Billie Faiers. Do you get to let your hair down often?

Yeah, all of the time! To be happy I need time with my friends, time with my kids, time on my own and I need to work as well.

You’re good friends with Sam. Can she still party?

Yeah. She’s a very fun friend.

Are you piling any pressure on her boyfriend Paul Knightley to propose to her soon?

I just don’t care. I mean, Sam’s hen do will be amazing, but I don’t think it’s a massive priority for them now.

Do you watch their show The Mummy Diaries?

No, but I don’t watch TV. For me, it’s torture. It’s mind-numbing.

Do you ever disagree with Sam over your parenting styles?

Never! I don’t clash with any of my friends over that. So long as you have healthy, happy, well-rounded children I don’t think it matters how you get there.

You don’t show your daughters’ faces on social media any more. How come?

They have a right to privacy. We don’t know where social media is going and I don’t feel like testing my kids out on it.

What do you make of famous parents like Stacey Solomon who share posts about their kids?

I just don’t care what other celebs are doing. If she wants to share, it’s no skin off my nose.

Stacey is currently on maternity leave. Would you like her spot on the Loose Women panel?

I’d love to be on the show, but I think I’m too out there for them. It needs a shake-up and I’d love to be the one to do it.

You’ve also given honest feedback about I’m A Celeb

campmates. Would you go on it?

If they paid me enough then probably. But I don’t think they would give me enough to make me want to do it. I’d definitely be up for every trial. Also, I’m relatively selfish and I don’t eat a lot, so eating rice and beans every day is basically my diet.

I’d be like, “I don’t want to do the trial, so you lot will just have to starve.” I wouldn’t care.

Do you have any regrets?

No. I always say, “Don’t regret the things you do, regret the things you didn’t do.” I’m very happy with who I am.

What’s the toughest thing about being in the public eye?

I’m not the most approachable person. So when people come up to me I try to be nice but sometimes it’s hard. At the same time, they’re the people who put you there so you don’t want to seem ungrateful and rude.

Is there anything that upsets you?

I guess when my kids get upset about something that protective instinct kicks in. You have to teach them to fight their own battles and, as a mum, that’s hard to watch.

What was your upbringing like?

It was grounded. We weren’t really rich, but we weren’t poor either. My mum instilled a really strong work ethic in me. She taught me that you’ll go through life and not all people will like you, but does that matter? No.

Do you receive weird fan mail?

When I had my business [Dixie’s Cupcakery], I’d be sent stuff like pictures of myself to sign and send back, which I found really weird. I also get asked for my tights and socks from weirdos.

Have you ever had a stalker?

Yeah, in 2014 and 2015. It was quite bad and the police got involved. I didn’t know the person. It was just a very keen fan.

Have you ever had any neardeath experiences?

Someone spiked my drink in

Funky Buddha when I was about 18. They had to shut the club and call an ambulance because I was having a fit on the floor. I don’t know what they gave me.

What’s the biggest misconception about you?

I’d say they’re all correct [laughs]. People probably think I’m more of a bitch than I actually am. You wrote an autobiography but pulled it at the last minute. Why?

I just didn’t want to share elements of my life with strangers. I got paid really good money to do it but in the long run, what’s £100,000? Not a lot to share everything.

Are you tempted to write a new one?

It would be an amazing read, but I’m not so egotistical that I need to have an autobiography.