Just As Well, The Women's Health Podcast - Kate Ferdinand on Body Dysmorphia and the Pressure to Be Slim

Episode Date: February 10, 2026

Kate Ferdinand joins Just As Well, the Women’s Health Podcast for an honest conversation about body image, mental health and the growing pressure to be slim. . Kate opens up about living with body dysmorphia, the impact of social media and online trolling, and why she’s pushing back against the idea that smaller is always better. She shares how strength training and routine support her mental wellbeing, why muscle matters for long-term health, and how she tries to model a healthier relationship with food and exercise for her children. . The conversation also explores parenting in the digital age — from setting boundaries around TikTok and Snapchat to phone-free bedtimes — as well as life in Dubai and modern wellness culture . A reassuring episode about wellbeing without perfection — and why sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is strip it all back. . Hosts:  https://www.instagram.com/glouiseatkinson/  https://www.instagram.com/clairesanderson/  Director of photography : https://www.instagram.com/edmundcurtiscine/   Wellness video producer: https://www.instagram.com/chelia.batkin/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or the gambling of someone close to you, please go to conicsontario.ca. Hello and welcome to another episode of Just as well, the Woman's Health podcast. I'm Claire Sanderson. I don't have Gemma with me today in the office. Sadly, she can't make it, but I do have a very special guest. Today's guest is Kate Ferdinand, author, mother and someone who's incredibly open about the realities of body image, mental health and navigating well-being in the public eye. Kate, welcome to Just as well.

Thank you. Thank you for having me. It's an absolutely thrilled to have you in our London office because this is not your home anymore, is it? you now live in the sunny climes of Dubai. I know, it's nice to be back, though. We've got a storm coming in at lunchtime today, apparently. Biblical rain. Oh, have we?

We do indeed. To us, I haven't bought a rain jacket, but it is nice to be back in cool air. Yeah. And I'm quite enjoying layering up, putting on a coat. And it's the funny things that you actually miss. I'm sure. I would be the same.

I quite like winter. I quite like wearing hats and scarfs and like being cozy. Yeah, and putting the candle on. I'm exactly the same. Exactly the same. One of the reasons we have you on this podcast is because you are currently the cover star of women's health, the March issue.

And my team were very fortunate enough to fly out to Dubai to shoot you over there. So how was that? Unbelievable. Yeah, it was so good. I've always wanted to do the women's health cover. So it was really good experience. The team were lovely.

We're in beautiful locations. So, yeah, it was incredible. If people have not yet seen the shoot, You are stood on a rooftop with an amazing blue sky and the Dubai background behind you with all the skyscrapers. That iconic Dubai background, it looks amazing. It's a bit different to hear right now.

The storm coming, isn't it? And also, your better half, Rio, is on the cover of men's health at the same time. And that is the first time a British couple of been on the cover of men's health and woman's health simultaneously. So you're a first. That's iconic, really, isn't it? It is iconic, yes.

And when I, because I edit men's self as well, and I thought, what couple can I ask to become the first British couple and you were top of my list? And you said yes, which is a thrill. Oh, yeah, it was really actually good because I feel like we're both doing it together. So we had a goal and an aim and we've been aiming for it together. So it's been really, really fun. Were you sort of competitive in your sort of preparation for the shoot in advance? Not competitive. We normally are a bit competitive to do, but not competitive, but spurring each other on.

quite a lot and helping each other, yeah. Super proud of each other. Very, yeah. Because my team said on the shoot, was it Rio rang you or on your shoot you rang Rio to say how well it had gone so that you were communicating

while the separate shoots were taking place. Yeah. It was quite a big deal. We really wanted to look good and feel good and it go well, so we were having little updates of each other. Do you know what you have to do? Everyone who goes on the cover of Women's South,

or men's help, they get it blown up and framed and put on their stairwell at home or if they have a home gym or the toilet. I've heard all very many locations these covers end up at home. So you'll have to do that pride in place, like his and hers, men's health and woman self covers. We'll definitely be putting it up somewhere. I'm not sure where, but we're very proud.

The only thing is we're in tip-top shape. Yeah. And then Christmas has come. Wow. So, you know. But you're always in tip-top shape, aren't you? Because you first came onto our screens in Tawi way back. I don't mean to be disrespectful as though.

you've been around for a long time, but it was a long time ago, Tawi. What year was that? I think it was like 2015 or 2014. So this was when the media was still quite mean about women's bodies and maybe you were at the tail end of that weekly magazine culture where women, if they had a hint of cellulite or, you know, a slight bit of skin of which could possibly look like a roll of fat was highlighted in the magazines. and that must have had an impact on you

because you've discussed how body dysmorphia is something that you've experienced start your life. Yes, absolutely. I think to be honest with you, it was prior to those days anyway. So I think I've always had a like up and down relationship with myself and my body. And I think that probably did emphasise it.

Yeah. But it was something that was already going on with me anyway. But I feel like times have really changed now. You still sometimes get those negative. comments, but it has changed a lot now. Well, different body shapes are celebrated now, aren't they? Yes. And larger body shapes are celebrated and massively strong women are celebrating with strong

arms and strong quads and stuff. That's lauded and considered beautiful. But back in the day, maybe predate in 2015, it was all, you know, slim as king. That was the mantra that was going round. Absolutely. But I also feel like, although the magazines and the magazines and the ones, the press isn't as much like that now, society has become a little bit more like slim, slim, slim, slim, recently. I don't know, do you feel like that? Well, I do feel like

that. And I think it's the advent of GLP-1s. And I think the injectables, the jabs. Yes, I agree. You know, the brand names are Zempec, Wagovi. There's a bit, Manjaro, there's a few now, isn't they? But you have well-known women whom previously have been slightly larger. And by slightly larger I mean mid-size, I don't mean overweight by any stretch, you have suddenly shrunk down and it's becoming more the norm, the slimmer is better. Yeah, you know what, that's something that I really want to fight against because I don't think slimmer is better. For me, I feel like there's a lot of that on socials and it can feel sometimes overwhelming,

but I really like try and promote like actually just being healthy. Yeah. And like having a healthy lifestyle and being able to look after your kids and throw them about and things like that. But I think there is a lot of pressure and it's easy to slip into society. Everyone's slim and everyone's talking about jabbing and the positive effects.

Sometimes people just aren't being healthy and going to the gym. Yeah, the slimmer physique is becoming normalized. Something on woman's health that we cover is that a lot of women who are taking these jabs are losing muscle mass because they're losing weight very quickly. And also gym membership and especially cardio machines of being used less because people feel, I don't need to do that now,

because I'm just losing weight anyway. But muscle mass is so important for longevity. And as you say, being able to pick your children up and being able to put your luggage on the top rack on a plane or on a train, etc. So training for life is very much a mantra that woman's health follows. But you yourself, you're in the gym a lot, aren't you? It's very much part of yours and Rio's approach

to live in. I love going to the gym. I don't love it every day, but generally I love the way it makes me feel, like mentally. Obviously, I like the way it makes me look and I do want to look good as well, but for me it's like more of a mental thing. I've been in London now for like seven days, and I've been back to back and I haven't gone to the gym. And I can really feel like I'm clucking to go, if that makes sense. Like I'm missing that release. Oh, I share that with you. But as someone who, as you say, has an complicated relationship with their body and body dysmorphia, I can relate to that in every way, shape, or form. Like, prior to us going on here, I admitted to you that I struggle to watch these podcasts because I don't like looking at myself.

And it's sad, isn't it? It is sad. Do you think if you take five, seven days off going to the gym, it's maybe the body dysmorphia coming back in as well because you think, oh, suddenly I'm going to put on weight. So suddenly I'm going to get larger and I need to go into the gym to maintain that? Probably. Yeah, probably. Same for me. Yeah, and I don't know, but then it's like also my routine. I'm a creature of like habit and routine.

And when my routine slips, I can sometimes feel a little bit out of control. Yeah. So I think, you know, when I'm in Dubai at home, I've got the routine and I feel comfortable with that. Now I'm a bit all over the place and it's, yeah, maybe a little bit of body dysmorphia, maybe a little bit of like not letting the energy out as well. And I find gym like kind of like a safe place. Don't really think about anything apart from what I'm doing. and that's really helpful for me as well.

So how often do you train? It differs, but probably like four times a week. And it's predominantly strength? Yes, but I do do Pilates as well. But I'm not consistent with that at the moment, to be honest. Recently it's just been strength, a little bit of Pilates, and I love walking. That's my favourite thing.

I love going for a walk. Even in Dubai, is it not too hot to do that in Dubai? Really early or in the evening we go. Oh, okay. So we go together normally Rio and I. That's our little debrief, go for a walk, catch up. Yeah. Yeah.

Oh, nice. That's your, sort of your couple of time. Yes. Yeah. And is that something that you would do back here, or is it a new thing that you've done in Dubai to take in your beautiful surroundings? Do you know what? We did walk in the day in England, but with the kids and it was just a bit more hectic.

Whereas now it's more me and him time in the evenings. We do that, yeah. And it's quite safe to go for a walk later at night. So it's, and it's not cold. Yeah. Yeah, it's like a nice temperature. Yeah, which is the dream. Yeah.

So what does strength training look like for you? I've seen on your English. Instagram that you do some dynamic compound moves and some just traditional strength training. What does the typical week in the gym look like for you? Okay, so I had a really quite a bad shoulder injury. I had tendonitis in my shoulder and just struggling with my shoulder and neck for quite a while. So I kind of had to reset a few months ago and start from the beginning because I hadn't been training for a while and I was in so much pain. So I went for a program seeing the physio and then resetting.

So that's what I've been doing. Just getting back my strength really and I don't love conditioning I'll be honest I prefer just to do the weights but there's a little bit of conditioning in there as well and you know just standard movements really yeah because nothing too complex

No you don't do anything complicated do you but with said respectfully actually because I don't either you know I think people can make workouts look jazzy for the gram and there's no need to It's all basic movements

You squats, your lunges, your, you know, your Bulgarians, what, everything really. It's just basic movements. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And it must be hard. You've got five children. Yeah. How many are at home with you?

Because the eldest plays football here, doesn't he? Yes, the two eldest play football in London. Yeah. And the three who are two, five and 14 live with us in Dubai. So you're setting an example for them as well. Yeah. I've spoken about this on this podcast before, but there's research that says children who grow up in her home, where the mum exercises are more likely to engage in exercise themselves.

It's not to say the dad's irrelevant, but we're more influenced by our mum exercising. So you're setting a healthy example for them. They love the gym. This is so funny. We go in the gym at home quite a lot. We're lucky to have a little area at home. And they're always coming. I want to come to the gym.

Cree's trying to do press arts. They're involved in everything. And they love being in the gym with us. And I've got a few videos of my Instagram, and I might be doing like squats and they're doing them next to me and things like that. So I feel like it is a really positive influence on them. It's just normality to them

because that's just part of our routine. Yeah. It's the same in our house. My daughter's 10 and we have a little gym at home and I have a Peloton bike which has dance cardio classes and stuff on this. A whole platform. And I'll just be, I don't know,

iron in or something doing something glamorous. And then I'll hear the music going and she's gone in herself and is doing some sort of Taylor Swift dance cardio class and she's got the little tiny weights in her hand And I think that's just amazing that she's now old enough. She's taking herself off. She does all other sport, you know, team sport and cricket and football and stuff.

But she's already familiar with the gym setting. And I think that is going to set her in good stead. So positive. Yeah. Absolutely. I love the kids. They've got little fake weights. Yeah.

The ones, like the Lamaacas really, but their weights and they're doing all that. So yeah, I think it's so good for them to see. And you do have girls. How important is it you to set a positive body? image example to the to your girls and how do you go about doing that yeah so tier's 14 and shay's only two at the moment so she doesn't really know what's going on but I think I've spoke about this before but this is something that maybe I haven't been perfect at at the beginning because when I met Lorenz Tate and Tia because I'm their stepmom yeah tear was already six

and I wasn't aware of how they actually taking every single bit of information whereas now I've got young children that I've had from their babies you can see them literally forming into mini-use, can't you? So I don't think I got that exactly perfect at the beginning, but I try my best to be a positive influence, and I think it's more around, listen, they see me going to the gym working out, they see when I'm having a change in my food

or I might be cutting or adding certain things. I think it's more about the effect that food has on us overall as well, not just about because of what we look like, but, you know, if you're eating lots of sweets and chocolate, which we love in our house, but how it might affect your skin. or how it might affect your belly if you're getting a bellyache. I think it's more about learning about food in general

rather than just for what it makes you look like. Yeah. So you're careful not to talk about your body in front of the girls. You do. I'm going to be honest. I do, yeah. In what it looks like. Yeah.

I'm going to be honest with you. I do, but hopefully not in a negative way, but I do. And what type of things would you see? Do you know what I will say? I feel a bit bloated today. And maybe you shouldn't say that Like people say you shouldn't say that But I do because if tear ever feels bloated

Is she ever going to know what that is If I haven't spoken about it Or I talk about if I'm feeling good If I'm not feeling good But that might not be the right thing to do But how is she going to be able to feel comfortable Of expressing how she's feeling If she's never seen me doing it

And maybe I am too vocal with that sometimes I won't say I'm fat But I will say I feel a bit uncomfortable comfortable today. Like, I feel a bit groggy, I need to get out, move it. Like, I will speak like that. Do you think that's negative? No, I think it's a grey area, isn't it?

There has been research saying that you shouldn't talk about the appearance of your body in front of young girls because they are sponges and they do pick up this behaviour. And I know I used to, much like you. My daughter's 10 now and I used to. I now try and set an example by saying how strong she looks. or how strong mummy looks today with the biceps and all that. So I agree with what you just said. If you can vocalise your feelings about your body,

that's given her permission to do the same when she undoubtedly has days where she's feeling negative about her appearance. Yeah, it's so hard, isn't it? It's really hard to know what's best. And I'm by no means perfect. And I feel like as parents, we're learning on the job as well. Like sometimes she comes to me and I'd be like, oh, I don't actually know the answers to that question

because I'm learning. So what I'm doing might not be right and hopefully it doesn't have a negative impact but I am mindful of what she's taken in as well. Does that make sense? Because I look back to my childhood I grew up in South Wales valleys and I was weighing myself obsessively

from about the age of five. Wow. Yeah, because we had weighing skills in our bathroom at home and there was a weighing skills at my grandmother's house and I would weigh myself constantly and this would have been learned behaviour from seeing my mother do it because this was the 80s and it was the Slim Fast era and special K diet that might even have been the 90s actually but the 80s was very much that kind of Jane Fonda time

and I remember being distressed about putting on weight from a very young age and that's where my body dysmorphia has come in and started and has stayed with me my entire life so I'm and then I look at my daughter and she's, the image of me in every way, the absolute image of me. If you'd see a picture of me as a child and a picture of her now is twins,

but she's also the body shape I was, which is taller than our friends, bigger than our friends, curvier than our friends. And she does a lot of sport as a result, but I would hate to think that the insecurities I lived with reach her. Yes, I agree with you.

But do you know, I also think that a lot of it is from school as well. So I think we as parents take on that it's us that gives them that insecurity, but I know that certain things have been said to some of the children and that's come from school and then that's something that the kids say and that is then in their head and then as parents were trying to work through it so I think we take on a lot of that pressure but also it's like social media

people say nasty things at school I don't think it all comes from us as parents I mean yeah you're absolutely right my daughter come home I don't know six months ago and said somebody called her fat yeah and he just it breaks your heart you know So I then try and counteract it by saying you are not fat, you are strong, you are tall, and look how good you want to cricket. And, you know, you start highlighting all the positives. Because you want to try and drown out the negative noises that you're absolutely right. They're hearing from school or watching YouTube, TikTok, etc.

Even though you try and manage how much they watch YouTube and TikTok, they still are. They find a way, don't know? Yeah. But I also sometimes think it only takes, like, one negative thing. And if you're feeling a bit conscious about it anyway, or if you're noticing, like, they're noticing there, different to their peers in certain ways. Even me as an adult, it might just take one thing if I'm a bit self-conscious that it can get in your head a little bit.

Well, that's why I couldn't imagine being in your position, actually, because I get negative comments on Instagram and my following is 25,000. Nothing compared to yours. But still, people feel that they, you know, entitled to make negative comments about something I'm wearing. And it really sticks with me. That's it. But you must get it.

so much more than... How do you cope with that when you get some idiotic troll saying something, you know, mean and needlessly cruel? Do you know what? Normally, I'm going to look at my agent over there because normally I'm quite okay with it. But recently, I posted something and I was really poorly at the time I had like a stomach bug.

I wasn't feeling my best when I posted it. I kind of filmed it the week before and then posted it when I was in bed and wasn't really feeding very well. And I didn't look the best. I filmed it. It was like 5M the morning. and I did look a bit rough

and I got so much hate about how ugly I was, how this is and at that moment I was feeling not very well, I was in bed I wasn't feeling my normal self and it really affected me that I actually deleted it and I was really upset for a few days

I was crying whereas normally I have to be honest normally I just get on with it and I think do you know what I think it's about how you're feeling for me if I love my outfit and I'm feeling really good and you tell me I hate your outfit I don't care because I feel good. But sometimes if you tell me, you know, I don't like your hair and I didn't like my hair,

it might get to me a tiny bit. Does that make sense? I'm not all thick-skinned every day of the week. Some days I am and some days depending on what's going on, it might affect me in a different way. What weapons do you have in your arsenal to counteract negative thinking when it does creep in? I just delete, to be honest with you. I just deleted it.

Probably that's not the best thing to do. You should stand strong and be like, you know, this is who I am, but normally I block it out, normally I'm busy, I just brush it off, go for a walk, go to the gym and I forget about it. But I think because I was poorly and in bed, I didn't really have anything to do and it was getting to me a little bit too much. Yeah, the gym is a good thing to have in your back pocket when you're feeling a bit shit about yourself because you always feel better after a workout, don't you? You have a really good workout when you've got the arm, because all the angers come out. It's like you're releasing everything, yeah. And that's when I actually would go and do like cardio, like a Peloton ride or something,

to really sort of just chuck yourself into it, you know, come away, sweating, the type of thing. I remember I won editor of the year, or media leader of the year at the British Press Awards, British Media Awards, which is quite a big deal and I was all lovely and happy. And I posted a picture on Instagram of me with this award. And I went back to my hotel. And in amongst the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of congratulatory commons, there was one person said, you look fat and that dress. And it just, but you just log on, you latch on to that one.

Yeah. But why do we do that? Why, when there's so much positive, naturally we go to the negative? And sometimes you can look at that person, zoom in on them. Yeah, which I did. It's like Susan or something from down the road sitting on her couch. If you saw her, you probably wouldn't take fashion advice from her. No.

But for some reason, you see it on there and you're like, oh. Yeah. But it's not someone that we should really be bothered about, really. No, no, exactly. And this woman I remember, she had her daughter in her profile picture. Oh, my God, you're a mum of a young girl. You're out there trolling women you've never met. It's true. It's bad, isn't it?

It's terrible. Yeah. So what I basically say is I haven't got it locked down every day or the weeks. Depend on how I'm feeling. It's depending on how I react. Normally I'm okay. But I think sometimes when you're feeling a bit vulnerable, things get to you that normally wouldn't.

So let's talk about Dubai. because I'm fascinated that you live in Dubai because the wellness culture in Dubai is insane. Yes. It's off the chart. It's so scientific and in the future. You know, biohacking and high-end wellness. Tell me a bit about how you've absorbed yourself in that culture, aren't they?

I think it's amazing there. Like for wellness, everyone's kind of on a bit of a health journey. Yeah. One thing about Dubai is I feel like everyone that's there has moved there to better themselves for like, business opportunities or just to live a different type of life. So everyone's quite positive. And it is a very healthy place with so many different clubs.

And there's a club for everything every day of the week that you can go to. And like you said, there's lots of kind of scientific, like futuristic places for working out and recovering as well. But I'm not really involved in all of that to be on interview. I kind of keep myself to myself and I live quite a normal life day to day, you know, getting up with the kids, take them to school, going to work. But it's nice to be able to dip in and out of that as and when you want to. I mean, I've had a shoulder and neck issue for a real long time. I've been in Dubai for four months and they fixed it within three weeks.

And I generally thought that I wouldn't be able to work out properly again. And how did they fix it? I think what is really amazing, my physio David is incredible. In London, I was kind of like going to a physio and if that wasn't work, I'd be like, maybe I need acupuncture. and I was choosing what I thought could work and try in different methods. He has every method available in his room.

So whatever you need, he's going to give to you there and then. So wherever that be, dry needle in, laser, everything you have in your one session. So it means that I could get all this great therapy in my one session every week. And I was better within three weeks, probably. And I was in tears when I went to him in so much pain. And what was an injury from an accident?

I think it's overuse. I think it's from holding my little girl. Yeah. I had tendonitis in three of the muscles that are on the shop, God, I should know, but there, and down my bicep as well. And I just struggled to move. It had gone all throughout my neck. I think it's from overuse and holding the baby and feeding her constantly

and keep picking up the children. I get sore elbows and I'm convinced this been on the phone. Yeah, the other hand. Or the thumbs. You can get all funny here. They say you have a little lump on your finger if you hold your phone too much. Have you got one? Have I?

No, not quite. Oh, you're okay then. You're not as bad as bad as bad. Have you got one? Yeah. Yeah. I'm not getting out. I'm not getting my love out.

So have you tried anything in Dubai then? You say you dip in and out of it. Have you tried, you know, at Ciro? My team's shot at Ciro. Sireo. Yeah. Have you tried anything there? I love Sirei.

So for anyone that doesn't know, it's kind of, like, how would you explain it? It's designed by the players at Robud. Am I going to get that right? So the idea is that it gives you an immersive experience, how to train and recover as an athlete. Yeah. And I've got a membership there, actually,

and I think it's incredible. What have I done there? I've only worked out there. I've done Pilates there. I haven't recovered there, but the rooms that you stay in are incredible because they've got pull-up bars in them. Wow.

And it's kind of you get the whole experience as an athlete. my team were very lucky enough to stay there so they did sample some of it oh did they? I didn't know so what's sort of high-tech have you tried any of the paraphernalia there because apparently they've got all sorts there for all aspects of wellness

I actually haven't to be honest you haven't you're just too busy do you know what it is in my mind and in this little plan I've got I want to do all of this stuff but I've got lots of children and I'm busy and I think sometimes there's like weighing up

how much realistically can you fit into your life? And although I want to do a lot of that, like I really want to start paddle and things like this, I haven't got enough time in the day at the moment. So some things I think, just put on the back burner. It's stuff that you want to do. But I prioritise, like, going to the gym,

go out of walking, and be in my kids, I'm working really. So it sounds to me that you come back to the really simple foundations of health, which is eating well, but balance. So, you know, chocolate now and again, who's, you know, love it. bought my team celebrations and heroes earlier, so that's waiting for me when I go back upstairs. I love chocolate and it's, we're at this dangerous time of the year where there's just heroes

everywhere. But I love chocolate. I love sweets. I love all food. And I'm a big, big foodie. Like my day revolves around what I'm eating. But yet I haven't got the capacity at the moment to be doing everything. And I just got to strip it back. When you've got young children and a busy household, I think you've kind of got to take the pressure off, always you always feel like you're not keeping up. So you've got different ages living in your life. So you've got toddlers, then you've got your teenager. No, your daughter, she's not quite

a teenager. 14. Or she's 14 years or she is. You've got Rio when he was in his late 40s. You're in your 30s. Does that mean seeing health from different perspectives? We've got a lot going on. It's a very busy house. I mean, I suppose

everyone's on their own little journey. Like the children, the young children are into their clubs, their football, tears into that she dips in that of the gym when she feels like it me and rio are on the same kind of journey health-wise then the boys are footballers yeah so they're very regimented with their health and their fitness and they have their certain programs as well so i suppose there is quite a lot going on but overall we all are big foodies that love food and we love to just kind of keep moving together rio is on the cover of men's health looking remarkable i have to see he's an incredible shape.

Has he influenced you? Because he's a former footballer himself, so he's clearly lived a lifetime of healthy living and being active. Is that something that has influenced you throughout the relationship? I already trained quite a lot when I met him. So I loved going to the gym

and taking care of myself from quite a young age. I don't know from like 13, to be honest with you. So when we met, we were both into our fitness, I suppose. It's just nice now that we get to do that together. and come at it from slightly different I suppose the way that I train's different now that I've got children and a partner

that we do a lot more together. Something that he didn't used to do is walk and now we walk together quite a lot. But I mean, we both trained anyway. So it's just nice that we can come together and enjoy it together. Yeah, it's nice to a partner with that common value. Yeah, absolutely.

My husband just won't go to the gym. It makes it easier because then if one of us wants to get out of bed, you know, that feeling when one of you gets stuff and then it's like, stay in bed, but we're both like, come on, let's go together. It makes it a bit easier. Yeah, I'd love that. And he spurs me on a bit as well, like as in today,

I haven't been out to, I haven't been to the gym since I've been here because I've been really busy. He's gone to the gym and I'm a little bit jealous, I've got to be honest. I want him to go, but I'm also a bit like, right, I need to get in there now. It's like a bit of healthy competition. Are you someone that has to work out in the morning as well? Absolutely.

Yeah, I think that's a woman or a working mother thing, actually, that life just becomes too busy. You just have to do it first thing. Yeah, and as a day. day goes on, there's other priorities. Just make excuses. Yeah. I can't train in the evening.

No, not me. But even when I was single and, you know, girl about town in London, I was never someone that would go to an evening class. I was always, no, I'd rather get up early and do it before work. Yeah, I'm more of a 5am-a than a 5 p.m., 100%. I prefer to get up extra early and train. Have you always been a 5ammer? Because that's a club, that's the 5 a.m. club.

Yeah. Well, at the moment, when I was in England, I woke up at 5am to train, which I love because I felt like ahead of the day because school starts really early in Dubai I'm waking up at 20 past 5 just not even to train it doesn't quite feel the same but I'll be honest

because I'm not getting up and having that hour for myself I'm getting up because I need to get up at that time hasn't quite got the same feeling so you take the kids to school and then come back and train yeah we're just still quite early then what time did the kids start? We dropped them for 730

yeah because school starts at 8 and there's a lot of traffic and also the school's in Dubai they're really fun for like Kree who's five they play on their bikes outside so it's half an hour of like playing before school starts

Yeah Yeah So we've discussed social media And the impact it can have on your mental health And body image It's all the more pertinent to discuss it when children are involved

So you've got your daughter She's 14 That's a really impressionable age The younger ones are a bit too young yet But I'm sure you had your own journey With the older boys as well How open is the conversation about social media in your house.

We're very, no subjects off the table in our house. So we communicate a lot. But I mean, social media is really difficult because there's so much comparison. There's so many people doing different types of things. You can't control what algorithm, what you get sent kind of thing. So it is something that we monitor.

But it is really difficult because when all their friends are on it, it's hard to find the balance. I'm going to be honest, we haven't got this perfect at all. It's hard to find. the balance and to know what's right and to know when to step in and when not to but tea's not allowed TikTok unfortunately she's not allowed that because I felt like that was having not the best effect she does have Instagram she'll snapchat we go in and out of banning things yeah by the way

I don't have any other parents do that so she's asked for a really really long time yeah and we've been like the strictest and we've said no no no because you can't control you can't look back at the chats and that's what made us a little bit nervous little bit little bit of bit nervous but she did get given it maybe like two months ago and then I think it's gone again. Yeah. And she's looking at me like she desperately wants it back. And why did you get rid of it again? I think it's a

behavioural thing. I think it was in Snapchat is like a tree so you can have it if you're doing this, this and this around the house but you can't have it if you can't get your room tidy. So I don't think she was on top of all of her little bits that she needs to do so it's been taken. And my thing that we say to is

you are in control of this. This is you. You can have it all. if you do what you're meant to do. It's not a me thing, it's a you thing. She's like, you're right. So, yeah,

it's a tricky one. My son, who's 14 as well, when nearly 14, seems to have forgotten, I hope he doesn't listen to this, seems to have forgotten that at some point

he logged on to Snapchat on my husband's phone. So my husband can now see in real time all the chat on Snapchat. Unbelievable. So it's a gift. And to be fair to Zach, it's all really quite innocent

they just send each other emojis on there most of the time it's like just you know or pictures with silly things on their faces or something but yeah so I don't know maybe you could try that get her to yeah log on you can see you can have it but it's on my phone as well yeah so as we do that of Instagram but I try not to pry

like I want her to have her independence and I'm not going to read all her chats but I think if anything like flag that you're concerned about was flagged you've got the opportunity to then look haven't you because I do think it's like a fine line but you should really keep an eye because they could be talking to anyone and we have got a thing now that well we've had it for a long time that just no phones at bedtime so the phone

gets plugged on charge outside the room at bedtime yeah yeah we try that after 8 o'clock yeah um the phones downstairs or we we do have to physically take it off him because it's addictive as well it's a fire isn't it yeah yeah and it's it's you know the and i think i'm addicted to instagram you know the the the the short videos just pull you in, don't they? The reels, and you can see it playing out in young children whose brains are even more impressionable than ours. A hundred percent. Like I said, when I was poorly,

I'm not really on the shorts that often, but when I wasn't very well last week, I just realized I'd wait like three hours because I was in bed anyway, just scorn. I thought this is so dangerous. But I have to be honest, as a parent, it's very hard to regulate what your children are looking at. You want to, and we try our best to.

but it is difficult. Yeah. But I remember when my daughter was younger and she was watching Pepper Pig on YouTube and suddenly in the middle of it, all very unsuitable content appeared like somebody had hacked into Pepper Pig. And she was five and didn't even know what she was looking at

and I jumped on it and cancelled it all down. But even if you think they're watching something fairly innocuous, it cannot be. Absolutely. We've taken the iPod. off our little ones now. Yeah. Because they've just become addicted to it.

I mean, She's too. She shouldn't even have an iPad. But because her brother's got one, she had one. And their behaviour was just a little bit like, I don't know. They just weren't, they were lashing out a little bit. So we took them off them like three months ago, which I always thought, oh, I could never do because I relied on it for like car journeys and things like that.

It's been the best thing we've ever done, to be honest. They still watch TV on the TV, like cartoons and movies and things like that, but not on the iPad anymore. So you are installing boundaries then. It sounds that you are quite strict appearance in that respect because I'm guilty of the path of least resistance sometimes. Like, oh, just keep them quiet. Yeah, okay, you can have it.

But it sounds like you're, you have quite strict boundaries in place when it comes to technology. No, it was like, I was like you, and then it just got too much. I was like, enough and enough. I actually threw it in the bin. I took it out.

Yeah. I threw it the bin, Chris, I've took it and I've hidden it. But it was just getting a bit too much. And I thought that happens, do you, as in it all goes on for a bit longer. They're like, right, enough enough. Yeah. We've got to make a little bit of a change here, make a little bit of a revaluation, and that happens every now and then with everything, I suppose, in life.

What does 2026 look like for you? What are you most looking forward to? I think getting settled into Dubai, because it's quite difficult going to a new country with a family and we're still not fully, fully settled. So I'm looking forward to settling into that. I've got my wellness kind of platform that I've launched, One Body Co, working on that and Blubleyco,

and blended as well and been happy and healthy yeah yeah what's been the hardest thing about women to Dubai do you think missing family yeah yeah it's not it's the people that I miss i love London as well I love I love I love the seasons and I love walking around I miss that but I miss people a lot I miss Lorenz and Tate who are eldest who live here that's been really difficult and is it for the long term or is this we don't really know we just thought we're going to give it a little go and see what happens. And in all honesty, I don't think we know what we're doing. We're just kind of going with the flow and seeing what happens. So your wellness platform, tell us something about that. I'm really excited about that. So it's one body co. I felt very overwhelmed

with all of the information on social media around everything to do with women's health, fitness, what you should be using on your skin, just everything really. And I feel like quite a lot of people feel the same too. So we've created kind of a hub for which just simplifies all information for we've got a great team of experts that are helping me, you know, debunk myths and trends and give like clear information. And I'm interviewing experts from different fields and I'm a guinea pig trial in lots of different treatments and health things. So it's just hopefully a platform that can help simplify things for people if you're struggling and don't really know where to start on your like health journey. And is that coming out in 2020? It's actually out now. Yeah, it's just on

Instagram at the moment, but there'll be lots of new things coming in 2026. And blended is your podcast? Yes. Because not taking a nod to the fact that you are a blended family. So what, we can we look forward to on blended next year? We've got the podcast. We just sit on the sofa like we are now. And we just talk about all things to do with blended families. And actually it's been a great tool for me and it helps so many people. So that's something I'm really proud of. We'll just keep going with that really, having chats and hoping that people can feel, you know, seen and understood from what we're talking about. If you look back to the Kate that was on Towie 10, 12 years ago to where you are now, what would you say to that, Kate? I actually feel like that's a different lifetime.

Like, I look back and it doesn't feel like I'm even the same person. Just keep being yourself. I think it's very hard when you're on a reality TV show. Sometimes you don't get to see the 360. of people don't get to see who you really are. They just get snippets and you might be going through things. So I think keep going because people will see who you really are and believe in yourself.

Yeah, and always be true to yourself, I think. Okay, thanks so much for coming on just as well today. Before we finish, we have some quick-fire questions. So Gemma and I are stacking up our dinner invitations to all our guests. And we're particularly excited about yours because it's in Dubai. We'll be over with our bikinis. but what will you be cooking us? Roast dinner.

Nice. I'm very good at a roast. What meat would you do? I do chicken and lamb. Lovely. And my roast potatoes are, I have to say they're up there. What's the secret?

I've actually got a tutorial on my page, but just lots of roast potato seasoning. Yeah. And just I cook them for quite a long time. I let them simmer and cook for quite a long time in the oven. Nice. Yeah. Lovely. I love a roast.

Right, you're going to a desert island for 12 months and you can only take one, and don't say your children we're banning people from saying their children I don't think I'd take them It's the last, that's literally the last people I take with my kids It's got to be SPF Because I get really bad pigmentation

Yeah And yeah, it's going to have to be SPF SPF, a big, very large bottle That's a good one I think I would go for SPF as well Coffee or Wine Neither I don't like coffee or wine anymore Back in the day I used to love a wine

But no neither, I don't drink either Do you drink tea? I don't really drink hot water drinks. Maybe hot water and lemon. You're not the first person who said this to us. How do you go through life not having a coffee or a tea? I know.

And do you know what? I feel like I'm missing out on something because of the pick me up. But I just don't like it. Oh, I just can't relate. I can't relate. Someone said to us, they said, or they didn't drink coffee or tea. I said, what do you drink? And they said, hot chocolate.

And I said, oh my God, are you 12? No, I'm a hot water and lemon. Or I just like, I love water. It's a bit boring. What's the last thing that made you belly laugh? We've got a personal trainer in England, and me and Rio really wound him up. He recommended a personal trainer in Dubai.

And we, Rio told him, Rio said to him, is it normal that he keeps touching my bum? Obviously, he wasn't. And we were really, really winding up our personal trainer from the UK, and he believed it, and we could not stop laughing, so it was probably that. It was a kind of had to be there moment.

Yeah. Oh, no, I can see that would be funny. What's one thing people listening or watching today can do to make themselves feel a little bit better? Oh, that's a good one. Have a bit of time for you. I feel like we're always busy. I am doing everything for everyone else. So have a bit of you time and don't feel guilty about it. Shut everyone out and have a bit of time for you. And what does time for you look like? Any time alone is great. I'm an only child and now I basically have no time alone ever. So I'd love to even just go for a walk, just sit out. I love the fresh air or just sit on my own in a dark room and no one talk to me. Do you find that the need to be on your own is getting more intense as you get older as well? Because I found that, that I crave alone time.

I've always craved alone time. And for me, alone time is like how I reset. I feel like I've always been like that because I'm an only child. I'm quite used to being on my own. Well, thank you so much for coming in today. Enjoy the rest of your time in London. And I'm looking forward to my roast in Dubai. I can't wait for you to come over.

but thank you so much for having me. Thank you for coming in. Thank you.