When I speak to Tess Daly on the phone she tells me she’s feeling ‘recharged’ and there’s a distinct ‘whoop’ at the end of her sentence.
What’s her secret, I wonder? A hot new wellbeing retreat? An energy-boosting holistic treatment?
Sadly, it’s nothing quite as lavish… it’s down to the power of a simple cup of tea. ‘I always need a cuppa at 4pm,’ says the TV presenter. ‘And I can’t have it without some chocolate or a biscuit.’
A girl after our own hearts, but hold on, biscuits?! Recent photos of her in Dubai showed a toned, lithe body, so what’s going on here?
She laughs: ‘Everything in moderation. I cannot picture a life without naughty snacks and cake, but I enjoy cooking healthy, whole foods at home for my family.
‘My Mum never dieted, and that word was never mentioned in our house. I grew up in a traditional northern household where dinner was meat, potatoes and vegetables. I didn’t realise there were calories in food until I left home at 19, and I have been on a taste journey cooking for myself ever since.
‘I do not calorie count. I refuse. And I wouldn’t dream of mentioning calories to my young daughters.’
Tess is very firm on this, and it is clear that daughters Phoebe, 17, and 12-year-old Amber are in great hands when it comes to guidance. ‘We had a letter from the headmistress the other day,’ Tess adds.
‘She said that, in her 30 years of schooling she had never experienced the pressure that young girls are under today. And she’s right. We just had schoolfriends judging us — now it’s the whole world. It’s so important as parents that we lay good foundations [for health and nutrition] early on.’
Tess understands these pressures so it’s no wonder she wants to set a good example. At the age of 17, she was scouted as a model and then travelled the world on assignments.
‘When I worked in the fashion industry and saw people who were not eating sensibly, it was really disturbing to me that food could become such an issue, when in fact, it’s such a pleasure to enjoy,’ she says.
Tess married TV presenter Vernon Kay, 47, in 2003 and while she says she does most of the cooking at home, she admits he is pretty good in the kitchen and makes a ‘mean’ Bolognese.
‘The other night he whipped up sea bass and mustard mash. I make everything from fajitas to chicken pie, but it’s mainly chicken or fish as I don’t eat red meat. I also do naughty stuff like rhubarb crumble — definitely one of your five-a-day, right?’
At 52, there’s no denying Tess looks sensational. Best known for co-presenting the BBC One show Strictly Come Dancing, she films from September to December, dazzling on screen alongside Claudia Winkleman.
So, are her youthful appearance and glowing skin all down to her ‘everything in moderation’ lifestyle? ‘I have always looked after my skin and Mum always told me to cleanse, tone and moisturise,’ she says.
‘I have moisturised every day of my adult life and I’m obsessed with Kate Somerville and her amazing Total Repair Cream. It has changed my life. I have quite dry skin, especially at this time of year, so my skin sucks that stuff up. I also use a really good exfoliator and at the moment it’s Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads. I slap them on and hope for the best.’
Whether Tess is filming or not, life revolves around the kids. So what about fitness? ‘I like to get up a bit earlier than everyone else so I can have ten minutes of quiet time before the day begins. I start with a cup of tea and if it’s early enough I might do a 10-minute Yoga with Adriene session. I find it hard to motivate myself at home so I also have a brilliant PT who keeps me on the straight and narrow.
‘I genuinely don’t feel any different to when I was in my thirties. And that’s because I make a point of looking after my physical health. After all, it’s an investment in mine and my family’s future. To me, wellbeing means looking after your physical and mental health so you can function to your maximum capacity, be happy in yourself and strong enough to fulfil your life demands and be able to look after those closest to you.
‘As you get older you want to maintain your wellbeing and for me that’s through good nutrition and supplements. I take my Wellwoman Gummies every day as I want to tick that box and I know I am boosting any vitamins or minerals that might have been depleted through stress etc. Never before has it been more apparent that we need to look after ourselves — we’ve been on one hell of a ride the last couple of years.’
And, as a parent, Tess tries to pass this mantra on to her kids. She says she’s building bodies and minds, so she feels a responsibility to nurture her kids with good food and a positive mental outlook.
‘I also teach my girls that the content of their character is more important than how they look, and they must not allow others to judge them. It’s about how they feel inside.’
Three things Tess is currently obsessed with
1. ‘Ozark. There’s been a year-and-a-half year gap and they’ve just brought out a new series. It’s just so gripping, and the casting’s amazing.’
2. ‘I can’t stop Googling beautiful holidays. I know I have just been away for work, but I want a family holiday. We haven’t been out of the country for such a long time, like most people, and I just want to escape.’
3. ‘Breathing. I’m desperate to learn to meditate and I have bought so many books on the subject and listened to so many apps, but meditation will not sit with me. However, a friend told me about this book called Breath by James Nestor and it’s life-changing.
Tess Daly is an ambassador for Vitabiotics Wellwoman.
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