TV and radio presenter, Claudia Winkleman, 39, talks to Stylist's therapist Lisa Merrick-Lawless about keeping a healthy sense of humour about work and motherhood, plus why being strict is the only way to raise a family.
You’re working with Twinings on a campaign to encourage women to take ten minutes out of their day to relax. Do you find it hard juggling work with looking after three kids?
I am incredibly lucky because I have an amazing girl who helps me. Without her, at the end of the weekend I am covered in milk, nappies, colouring pens, DVDs – it looks like Guns N’ Roses have been in the house partying! I am quite lucky in the fact that I can just turn off quite easily; that’s where taking ten minutes out every day really resonated with me.
Did you find it hard going back to work after the birth of your youngest, Arthur, a few months ago?
If you’d asked me a couple of months ago, “Would you prefer never to work again?” I would have said, “Absolutely.” I hated the idea of leaving him and immersed myself in full babyness – I didn’t wash my hair for three months! But I want to work and buy the children expensive hats with rabbits on.
Do they make a fuss when you leave?
I’ve always told them, “Mummy’s got to work because she has to buy bananas.” They are too young to understand the concept of mortgages. But now I don’t lie to them. I tell them I go because I love it.
How did you feel when you had to reduce your time on Strictly Come Dancing spin-off It Takes Two?
I was broken-hearted. Strictly is in my blood and I feel like part of some amazing family. But I couldn’t not pick my kids up from school, help them with their homework, give them a bath and put them to bed. Zoe Ball [Claudia’s replacement] is brilliant, much better than me – I had to beg them to let me come back to do the results shows!
How did you feel when you took over the BBC’s Film Show series from Jonathan Ross in 2010?
Well I don’t call him Jonathan; I just call him The King, so I felt absolutely terrified. But when they asked me to do it, to say no out of fear would have felt silly. I thought the worst thing that can happen is that I do it and get fired.
Do you have that approach to a lot of things in life?
Yes, my mum brought me up that way. We had a brilliant phrase in our house: “It’s only work”. It’s not like I’m taking a risk on whether or not to give my child the MMR vaccine or what school I’m sending them to. It’s just work.
Your parents were both writers. Did that shape your career?
Yes, I think I just ended up doing something familiar. I wanted to be an art historian and worked in a gallery but my head almost fell off because there was a lot of sitting and waiting. So I guess I just fell into what I knew.
What was family life like?
Very urban. The countryside makes me nervous. I get a bit lost on Hampstead Heath if I can’t hear a car! But it was a very loving family, and a strict one.
Do you try to bring your children up in the same way?
Absolutely. I’m very loving – I worship my children – but they have to say please and thank you, they have to make their beds in the morning.
Do you have any future career goals?
No. I’m done. There’s nothing else I need to do. I cried in front of the Film Show’s producer when he offered me the job, it couldn’t get better than that and my Radio 2 Arts Show which I love. I don’t think it’s very good to listen to because I present it, but with those two things I’m the happiest girl ever.
You seem quite self-deprecating…
Inwardly I’m not! But outwardly my whole family is. The only thing we were supposed to not do was take ourselves seriously. I take my kids and my relationship incredibly seriously but me and what I do for a living? No way.
Claudia Winkleman is working with Twinings on its ‘Gets You Back to You’ campaign to inspire busy women to take 10 quality minutes every day to focus on themselves and reconnect. For more information, visit twinings.co.uk
Picture credits: Rex Features
