Stricly Come Dancing’s Tess Daly returns to co-host the new series of the hit BBC1 show alongside Claudia Winkleman, starting with the launch show this Saturday.
Tess, 52, started out as a model after being scouted outside a branch of McDonald’s in Manchester.
A busy international modelling career followed and, while living in New York, she got work interviewing celebs arriving for red carpet events.
She went on to host the Find Me A Model contest on Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast in 2000, joined Strictly, co-hosting with Bruce Forsyth, in 2004, and presented BBC Children In Need for 11 years before quitting the charity telethon last year.
Tess is married to fellow TV presenter Vernon Kay and they have two daughters.
What do you do to stay fit and healthy?
I have a healthy, well-balanced diet of mostly whole foods — whole grains legumes, fruit and veg. I haven’t eaten red meat since my teenage years and I’m fanatical about gut-healthy foods — natural yoghurt, bananas, almonds and olive oil — because digestion is so important to our overall wellbeing.
I work out two to three times a week with a personal trainer. Left to my own devices I’d find any excuse not to make it to the gym. I need that person physically standing over me to motivate me. I do yoga, even if it’s just a 15-minute stretch at the end of the day, every day. If I miss it, I don’t sleep as well.
What are your secret vices?
Chocolate. I crave it, especially in the afternoon with a cup of tea. I have a real sweet tooth and love baking with my girls at home.
Are there fitness aims you haven’t yet fulfilled?
I’ve always wanted to do Pilates. I’m tall with a long spine and I know I’d benefit from strengthening my core and that discipline of exercise. But I’ve tried it a couple of times now and I just can’t get on with it. It is so technique-focused and requires a lot of control, mentally and physically, to achieve each position. And for me, I find it overcomplicated, meaning I tend to lose interest before the end of the session.
How has lockdown impacted you?
One of the things I missed most -apart from the obvious things such as seeing friends and family and the ease and ability to do things — is a routine. Faced with no school runs, no regular working hours or set mealtimes, I felt pretty discombobulated. Positively, I learned the joy of having plans. Before, I was more the live-in-the-moment type, always organising things last minute. Then I realised, in the absence of being able to make plans with friends and family, there was actually not a lot to look forward to, apart from work.
I have realised that whether it’s for a day trip out with the family, having friends over for a barbecue or little trips away, having plans is so important.
How is your physical health?
I’m very grateful for continued good health — apart from hay fever, which drives me mad over the summer months. That is how I came to be such a fan of Artelac eyedrops — they have literally saved me from having puffy, red and itchy eyes.
I make a conscious effort to look after my health — we’ve only got one life, right? I value good nutrition, taking the right supplements and trying to move my body with some form of exercise every day.
By that I don’t mean hitting the gym — even a walk with the dogs or skipping for a few minutes raises the heart rate beneficially.
Has your work contributed to a healthier you?
My working life requires a certain amount of stamina I suppose. Studio days can be 15 hours long without lunch or dinner breaks and I’m usually to be found running in heels. It’s in my interest to be physically fit to keep up with the schedule.
Any mood-boosting tips?
If it’s been one of those days when I haven’t had five minutes to myself and I feel a bit frayed, I treat myself to a long soak in the bath with lovely, scented oils and candles, so it feels indulgent. Yoga, which I do with Adriene on YouTube, always helps lift the mood… as does an impromptu kitchen disco!
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