TV presenter Holly Willoughby just opened up about how her body changed after having children, as well as the further changes she's noticing now as she gets older. Speaking as part of a new promotional tour for her book, Reflections, on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, Holly said she is currently experiencing a new-found appreciation for her body.
The mother-of-three said that she was moving away from being so self-critical. "We are heading towards that kind of menopausal time, skin is changing, hair is changing, body's changing – even having had a baby the shape of your body completely changes," Holly told Fearne, who she used to appear alongside on Celebrity Juice.
Holly also shared how important it is for her to practice gratitude towards her body, rather than chastise herself.
"I think that it's really important in those moments, rather than looking down and going, 'Oh my god, look at everything changing, I’m getting old, I’m getting more wrinkled. Oh my God, my t*ts are around my knees'... Instead of looking down, you’ve sort of got to look up with it and go, 'God, my body was able to carry a baby and my boobs breastfed three children and they were fine'," she explained.
The presenter also added that getting older "is a privilege" that not everybody gets to experience, and so it's vital to be grateful for every opportunity and to place less emphasis on looks when it comes to ageing.
"You got to go, 'Yes my face is starting to sag and my eyes are blood shot and the rest of it', but 'I’m healthy and I’m ok and getting older is a privilege because not everyone else gets to be here'."
Holly shared too that she feels a responsibility as a role model and mother to practice what she preaches, and set a good example, especially for her ten-year-old daughter, Belle.
"Having a daughter, I'm very aware of the example I set now in this stage because Belle's ten so she's old enough now to be watching me," she said. "I want to conduct myself in a way that when she gets to this stage, it's like I'm clearing the pathway for her.
"That's how I feel about many things and not just about outwards image but this is what we're talking about now. I feel I have a responsibility there to do this in a way that is a positive experience for all of us."
Hear, hear, Holly!
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
