‘It has been an amazing year!’ From the challenges of being a working mum to her chemistry with BBC Breakfast sidekick Bill Turnbull – presenter Susannah Reid chats to Yours about life waking up the nation
Perfect partnership: Susanna says she wants to stay on BBC Breakfast ‘as long as they’ll have me’. Well, you’ve got our vote, Susanna!
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❙ star chat ❙ “
really cannot believe it’s over a year since we started hosting BBC Breakfast from Salford,” says Susanna as she settles down to chat to Yours. “It’s really flown by – but when you do a programme like this, you just keep your head down and do the best broadcasting you can over the three hours.” And Susanna’s ‘best’ has paid off – she was recently voted the BBC’s most popular breakfast presenter of all time. But she couldn’t have foreseen that a year ago when she replaced popular Sian Williams as the main anchorwoman with Bill Turnbull. The change came after the BBC took the controversial decision for the breakfast bulletin to move from London to the North West. Many of the regular presenters, including Sian, chose not to make the trip north, but Susanna went for it, even though it has meant an incredible daily round trip commute between Manchester and her family home in London. Susanna makes the trip three times a week so she can be there for her young family – Sam (10), Finn (9) and Jack (7). After hosting the bulletin on Monday and Tuesday, she returns home to London, has an hour’s sleep, grabs some lunch, picks her three boys up from school, cooks tea and then gets the train back again in the evening ready for her 4am start the next day! With that gruelling schedule most of us would think she must sometimes wish she had an easier life. But Susanna quickly debunks this: “Lots of people have to do crazy hours. I don’t mind it and the train is a great gift of time. It allows me to prepare for the show and my schedule means I can spend time with the children, too. I only present the programme three days a week and it’s worked out perfectly.” And Susanna (42) is always quick to flag up the support she
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gets from her charity director partner, Dominic Cotton, whom she met at BBC Breakfast when he was a sports producer. “I couldn’t have done this without him,” she says, “and the company he works for has been very supportive.” What’s also evident, is that Susanna and co-host Bill are genuinely good friends. There is definitely no jealousy or rivalry between the pair and they socialise with their families outside of work. “One of the things I love about Bill is he is so welcoming,” she says. “He is very dry and brilliantly sharp and I know he will always support me if things go wrong.”
‘I was a commitment phobe until I met Dominic. He’s very supportive and accepts why I don’t want to get married’ Even so, it can’t have been easy stepping into Sian’s shoes? “But the thing is Bill and I weren’t just thrown together,” says Susanna. “I have worked on BBC Breakfast for a long time – and we all trust each other. I often used to stand in for Sian when she was away. All the breakfast team are friends and I still see my old cohost Charlie (Stayt).” So was she surprised to receive the accolade of the BBC’s most popular breakfast presenter of all time? Bursting out laughing, she reveals she was speechless when she found out. “I don’t understand how that happened,” she says, smiling. “I was
Susanna at the end of last year’s London Marathon and right, with partner Dominic
gobsmacked and I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know what to say really other than how lovely it is to have earned the appreciation of the viewers. I am really happy and I love my job.” As if she didn’t do enough travelling, Susanna also took part again in this year’s London Marathon, running on behalf of Comic Relief. She trained at least three times a week… is she some kind of superwoman? Susanna says she takes her hat off to all working mothers. “It’s a challenge for everyone,” she admits. In the past, Susanna has had a few headlines over her choice of clothes – causing her to be a bit of a pin-up amongst male viewers. But that’s not the real Susanna and she doesn’t dread growing older. “I didn’t worry about turning 40. It’s only another day in your life and getting older is something that just happens. “I don’t wear make-up at home. It’s lovely to have a blow dry and put on make-up for the show but at home I’d far rather dress down.” Although very happy with partner Dominic, Susanna isn’t married. “I was a commitment phobe until I met Dominic,” she says. “He’s very supportive and accepts why I don’t want to get married. The commitment and wanting a family unit for the children is our priority.” Susanna’s parents divorced when she was nine, but she is anxious to stress the positives this gave her. “One thing it did was give me an opportunity to be with each of them separately,” says Susanna. “My dad and I chatted about the world and it was a fantastic opportunity for a young girl to have. My mum has been hugely influential and she has always been so supportive. “I try to give my own sons the same opportunities and I am always telling them to follow their dreams. I focus on what works and really do feel so very blessed. ✢ BBC Breakfast runs every I want to host BBC morning on Breakfast for as BBC One from long as they’ll 6-9.15am have me!” PIC: DANIEL HAMBURY/EYEVINE; BBC
By Christine Smith
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Style 21 brilliant tops ! s e v e e l s h wit
notes
SEASON TREND ALERT
Keep your arms under wraps with these flattering and stylish cover-ups By Fashion Editor, Michelle Nightingale
✢ Pink and red rose print shirt, £35, s-xl, Wallis
✢ Peach floral print top, £33, s-xl, Wallis
PHOTOGRAPHY RUTH JENKINSON; STYLIST JO WINCH; HAIR AND MAKE-UP ANNA THOMPSON
FASHION EDITOR’S CHOICE
✢ Blue floral print top with tie detail, £35, s-xl, Wallis
STOCKISTS: Bhs 0845 196 0000; Bonmarché 01924 700100; Bon Prix 0844 556 5400; F&F at Tesco 0800 505 555; Fifty Plus 0871 231 2000; Laura Ashley 0871 983 5999; Marks & Spencer 0845 609 0200; Next 0844 844 8939; Tu at Sainsbury’s 0800 636 262; Wallis 0844 984 0266. Details correct at time of going to press
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Ali (left) wears: Red top, £26, 10-18, M&Co; trousers, £16, 10-20, Marks & Spencer; shoes, £25, 3-8, Bhs. Pat wears: White top, £14, 6-20, F&F at Tesco; jeans from a selection at Marks & Spencer; shoes, £25, 3-8, Bhs.
FASHION EDITOR’S CHOICE
✢ Print shirt, £26, 8-20, Bhs
✢ Long-sleeve floral top, £28, 8-22, Bhs
✢ Denim tunic with button detail, £24.99, 8-24, Bon Prix
✢ White blouse, £18, 8-22, Tu at Sainsbury’s
✢ Pink embellished top, £35, 12-32, Fifty Plus Also in zesty lime!
✢ Kaleidscope print top, £39.50, 8-22, Autograph at Marks & Spencer
MUSTBUY BASIC ✢ Blue poppy print blouse, £18, 12-24, Bonmarché
✢ Black and white striped top, £10, s-xl, Bonmarché
UP TO SIZE 32
LIGHT WEIGHT KNIT
✢ White cutwork tunic, £45, 12-32, Fifty Plus
✢ Denim t-shirt, £17.99, 8-24, Bon Prix
✢ Floral tie front blouse, £20, 12-24, Bonmarché
✢ Navy embellished top, £25, 6-22, Next
✢ Cotton china blue print shirt, £25, 8-22, Marks & Spencer
✢ Monochrome striped top, £45, 8-22, Per Una Speziale Marks & Spencer
GREAT BUDGET BUY
✢ Pale aqua floral top, £59, 12-30, Fifty Plus
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✢ Floral print top, £16, 12-24, Bonmarché
Now visit www.yours.co.uk for our style tips, especially for you
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Next issue: Look slimmer with our fashion cheats
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Good to KNOW...
How to enjoy the
FINANCIAL PERKS
of growing older…
Making ends meet isn’t always easy. Sarah Jagger explains how you can cash in on those hidden extras
iving in such a youth dominated society, it’s good to know that getting older does bring some rewards so make sure you’re taking advantage of all these great offers and discounts.
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✢ English Heritage Offers discounts for the over-60s on annual and life memberships. English
Heritage senior annual membership is £37, saving £11 (0870 333 1181, www. english-heritage.org.uk). ✢ The National Trust Those aged 60-plus get reduced membership if they’ve been an NT member for a total of five out of the last 10 years (0844 800 1895, www. nationaltrust.org.uk).
✢ B&Q Diamond Card This is free for the over-60s (ask in store or at www.diy.com) and save ten per cent on Wednesdays. The Garden Centre Group’s Gardening Club is free to join, too, and you get five per cent of your total spend back in vouchers, plus over-60s get double points on Tuesdays. For
HEALTH BENEFITS Help when you need it most “Those over 60 get free prescriptions and eye tests, but you may also be eligible for help with dental treatment, glasses and travel costs,” says Sheelagh Donovan, of Age UK If you get the guarantee part of pension credit, you qualify for free NHS dental treatment, a voucher towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses, and help with travel costs for NHS treatment and free NHS wigs under certain circumstances. YOURS EVERY FORTNIGHT
If your savings are below £16,000 and you have a low income, you may get full or partial help through the NHS Low Income Scheme. Call Help with Health Costs on 0300 330 1343 or visit www.nhs.uk. “Four in five people with cancer are hit with an average cost of £570 a month in reduced income and additional expenses due to their illness but you can get a one-off Macmillan grant towards living costs,
averaging £285,” says Rolf Millican, of Macmillan Cancer Support. As well as being entitled to means-tested benefits, you may also get help with fuel bills and transport for treatment. Speak to a Macmillan welfare rights advisor on 0808 808 0000 or visit www.macmillan.org.uk.
ENJOY DISCOUNT DAYS OUT Older people are entitled to a free bus pass and concessionary free off-peak travel on a local bus anywhere in England,” says Sheelagh Donovan, Age UK. “Eligibility is 65 for men and State Pension age for women.” To find out how to apply, contact your local authority. “There’s no national concessionary scheme for coach travel, but ask your coach operator if it offers any discounts,” she says. National Express offers a £10 Senior Coachcard for people aged 60 and over, giving a third off travel for the year.
✢ Beauty savers Members of the Boots More Treats for Over-60s can get ten Advantage Card points for every £1 spent in store on Boots’ own-brand products, as well as 25 per cent off glasses when spending £79 or more at Boots opticians. Pick up an application form in store or visit www.boots.com. ✢ Eat out for less Over-50s can join the free Diamond Clubcard for meal deals in pubs and carveries. Sign up at www. diamondclubcard.co.uk,
DIVE IN Many local swimming pools offer free swimming for senior citizens at certain times. Check your local gym for free or discounted exercise classes, too.
call 0870 240 1300, or join at a participating venue near you.
SEE CLEARLY
✢ The Vue Seniors Cinema Club … brought to Save money at you by Yours Specsavers with a 25 per magazine, where cent discount when you buy you can watch glasses and lenses costing more the latest films for than £69 from Monday to Friday. the special price Ongoing deal in stores only. of £3.05 and get a Find out more at www. free cup of tea and specsavers.co.uk biscuit – see page 110. ✢ Curtain up Theatres don’t widely advertise senior rates, but it’s always worth calling the box office direct to ask what concessions are on offer. If you can be flexible about when you go to the theatre it’s worth asking at the box office if they’re likely to have any ‘standby’ tickets, too. This is where any remaining seats for that day’s performance are sometimes sold off cheaply.
LEARNING FOR LESS Whether you want to get a degree, learn a new language or just brush up your skills, there may be a grant or course funding to help. ✢ Study for a degree As long as you don’t already have one, the new student fees system means you should be eligible for a tuition fee loan. You won’t have to repay a student loan until you earn over £21,000 per year – which, unless you have a substantial pension pot, is unlikely to happen – and the debt is written off after 30 years. ✢ Free courses Nationwide, there are courses to help people improve maths and English skills, from basic literacy and numeracy up to GCSE level. Ask at your local adult education centre or visit www.learndirect. co.uk or www.hotcourses.com for local classes. ✢ Computer courses If you’re not online, sign up for a UK online computer course. To find free or low-cost courses in your area call 0800 771 234 or ask someone to help you log on to www.learnmyway.com YOURS
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PICS: ALAMY; THINKSTOCK; MASTERFILE
your nearest participating centre call 0844 272 3000 or visit www. thegardencentregroup. co.uk
The Senior Railcard is available to those aged 60 or over. “It costs £28 for one year or £65 for three years and saves one-third off the cost of most rail fares in the UK,” says Sheelagh. “Look for cardholders’ offers, such as reducedprice membership for art or food societies, too.” Visit www.seniorrailcard.co.uk
0 1 BEST... of the
OPEN FARMS
Pick your own fruit and veg, take the family out, or perfect Tai Chi… ✢ Alder Carr Farm CREETING ST MARY, SUFFOLK Relax in the Barn Café, with its gorgeous, exposed beams, once you’ve explored Alder’s craft centre and the Old Piggery Pottery. In May you can pick your own gooseberries and buy
farm-grown asparagus, carrots, cabbage and rhubarb. Nip into the country studio where dab-hand Wendy can paint you a picture in oils or watercolours; simply take along a photo for her to recreate. Call 01449 720820, or visit www.aldercarrfarm.co.uk
✢ Belhaven Fruit Farm THISTLYCROSS, EAST LOTHIAN This ‘pick your own’ farm, usually in season from June, will open its new farm café on May 3 with a menu of home-cooked healthy meals, as well as Ice Delight – a fat-free range of fruity desserts. There’s an outdoor play area, craft mornings and Sunday brunch book readings planned. Call 01368 860573 or visit www.belhavenfruitfarm.co.uk
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✢ Grange Farm FUNTINGTON, WEST SUSSEX Grange Farm Shop, on the South Downs, is just two miles from the sea and is open all year. It’s an excellent, widely recommended shop in a pretty village, selling farm-grown fruit and vegetables. There’s also a range of breads, preserves, meat, and gifts. Asparagus will be in season from May then ‘pick your own’ continues throughout the summer. Call 01243 575372 or visit www. grangefarm shop.com
BLABY, LEICESTERSHIRE Whetstone’s lovely tearoom sells Farmer Sandra’s jams, and knitting group Knit Pickers meets here on Thursday evenings. Pick your own fruits in season, or buy local plants with expert advice. Don’t miss Chill Out in the Countryside on the last weekend in May – find time for a massage, do some Tai Chi in the courtyard, or enjoy an organised walk. Call 0116 277 4627 or visit www.whetstonepasturesfarm.com
✢ Holme for Gardens, West Holme Farm WAREHAM, DORSET ‘Pick your own’ will begin from June at Holme, but the magnificent garden centre has much to offer, from plants and pots to lawncare all year round. Make Sunday memorable with a roast at the Orchard Tearoom (booking advised). The farm shop’s local produce will keep you stocked until Strawberry Day, on June 22. Call 01929 554716 or visit www.holme forgardens.co.uk
✢ Crockford Bridge Farm ADDLESTONE, SURREY The closest farm to London and perfect for enjoying fresh air. Try the Crockford Bridge honey from the farm shop – they say a teaspoon a day keeps hayfever at bay! Pick your own fruit and veg, potter around the garden centre and recharge your batteries in the ice cream parlour, if the sun decides to put his hat on… For more information, call 01932 853886 or visit www.crockfordbridgefarm.co.uk
✢ Court Farm and Leisure TILLINGTON, HEREFORDSHIRE Meet the donkeys, goats and other animals before picking your own fruit and vegetables, with various seasons running from May to October. Mull over meats in the family-run shop, tire your little ones out at the play area, or enjoy the simple pleasure of a picnic. For a small fee you can fish the lakes – even at night! Call 01432 760271 or visit www.courtfarmleisure.co.uk
✢ Primrose Vale Farm BENTHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE Primrose’s ‘pick your own’ has everything from the first cuts of asparagus to summer berries and winter root veg. From mid-May the strawberries will be just about ready. The farm shop is open daily – pop in for a pork pie, or bring the family down to the play area for some fresh air and exercise. Staff will serve hot drinks while you wait!
✢ Streamvale Open Farm GILNAHIRK, NR. BELFAST Feed the cows, and watch them being being milked, before taking the living history Trail. As Streamvale’s been in operation since 1730, the trail covers its history as a crofting farm – refreshments included! Grandparents paying adult entrance prices are entitled to a grandparent pass too, allowing them free mid-week visits for the rest of the season. Call 0289 048 3244 or visit www.streamvale.com
Call 01452 863359, or visit www.primrosevale.com
✢ Upper Cantref Farm CANTREF, POWYS Cantref is home to an adventure farm and a Riding Centre – so whether you’re into racing pigs or horse treks, you’ll love it. Even better value for money is the special Circus Weekend, taking place from May 25-27. For your usual entry fee, take part in skills workshops, enjoy a Punch and Judy show and a performance by the visiting circus!
WORDS: ALEX FRISBY; PICS: KIMBERLEY WEAVING, ALAMY, THINKSTOCK
✢ Whetstone Pastures Farm
Call 01874 665223 or visit www.cantref.com YOURS
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❙ star chat ❙
My lessons from life…
Lesley Dunlop, 57, battling a brain tumour as Emmerdale’s Brenda, says what makes her tick ✢ The Emmerdale storyline is a big responsibility Playing someone who has a brain tumour like Brenda is a great challenge. You have to get it right. The most difficult thing I find is portraying events like an epileptic fit on screen. The mother of one of our cameramen had a brain tumour and suffered from fits, so talking to him about his mum was very helpful.
✢ Switching off is hard I find it difficult to shake off what Brenda is going through when I finish work. It’s so intense and emotionally draining, I find myself thinking about it a lot and have to make a concerted effort not to. Then again, I don’t want to completely leave her behind at the end of the day as I’d have to psyche myself up the next day and start all over again. At the moment, I’m learning lines every evening for my scenes the next day so there’s no way I can totally switch off anyway.
PICS: REX; ITV; BBC
✢ I never meant to act My dad used to write scripts for Dr Finlay’s Casebook and in one of his episodes there was a young girl with just a few lines to say whom they’d forgotten to cast. As I could do a Scottish accent, Dad suggested me – and that was the start of it all. 130
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As a young nurse in the Seventies series Angels (second right) and right, as a schoolgirl in ITV’s South Riding,1974
✢ I was a little Angel! It’s more than 30 years since I was in Angels, the BBC drama about nurses, but I still get recognised from it. Even more extraordinary, here in Yorkshire I’m still recognized as schoolgirl Lydia Holly who I played in the 1974 TV adaptation of Winifred Holtby’s South Riding.
✢ Selfishness angers me I can’t stand self-centred people with no thought or feelings of empathy for anyone. The older I get, the more cross I get!
✢ Grandchildren are precious I have two grandchildren, Mae Amelia who’s five, and Jude (2) and I wish I saw more of them. They’re my eldest daughter
Daisy’s and live in Cornwall, but I live about an hour’s drive from the Emmerdale studios in Leeds. Daisy and her partner have no family nearby to help so I go down as often as I can. Spending time with them is pure heaven! ✢ Lesley was talking to Alison James. ✢ Emmerdale is on every week day on ITV.
WHAT MADE YOU WHO YOU ARE TODAY? My family, especially my mum who sadly died from leukaemia 15 years ago. She was the funniest woman you could ever meet. Becoming a mum myself at 21 probably shaped the way I’ve turned out – I was so young! When my two daughters turned 21, I couldn’t envisage them becoming mothers just then. Daisy waited until she was 31.