Josie Gibson gives very honest verdict on This Morning line-up after Schofield
After one of the busiest summers of her life, Josie Gibson has barely had time to catch her breath.
The star has spent the past two months presenting This Morning alongside an ever-changing roster of co-hosts after Holly Willoughby took an extended summer break following that Phillip Schofield scandal.
With her five-year-old son Reggie-James to look after, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might have been too much for Josie, 38, to cope with. Quite the opposite. Rather than buckle under the pressure, the star – who shot to fame after winning Big Brother in 2010 – has flourished. Not only is her career going from strength to strength, but she’s also looking better than ever.
“I used to be really strong and then I had Reg and let myself go a bit,” she admits as we chat in the living room of her pristine home on the outskirts of Bristol. “I was so busy focusing on him, I forgot about myself and my health, so I lost that drive. But now I’m back and I want to feel sexy again.”
Josie, who shed three stone ahead of the release of her 2013 fitness DVD, Josie Gibson’s 30-Second Slim, tells us she no longer weighs herself, but is prioritising getting herself in shape.
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“I want to feel strong and healthy,” says Josie, who enjoys regular weight-training and HIIT sessions at the local gym. “I have been healthy eating the last few months and some people have said they think I’ve lost weight – but I don’t know because I never go on the scales.
“I don’t want to put any pressure on myself, I just want to feel great. I am getting my fitness back and I feel much better. I’ve been having a green smoothie or juice after getting up, having a small lunch and then a main meal around 5pm and I won’t eat anything after 6pm. I’m not snacking, either.”
Josie says working with This Morning newbie Steve Jones is an 'absolute dream' (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
But she confessed bestie Alison Hammond is her favourite (Getty Images)Josie has a good relationship with Reggie’s father, a 53-year-old property developer called Terry, who she split from when their son was three months old. And while she recently enjoyed a short-lived romance with a mystery man who “love bombed” her, she’s in no rush to find Mr Right.
“I’m single as a Pringle because I’ve got too much self-respect to ever go near anyone who doesn’t follow the same values I do,” she says. “I’m quite old-fashioned and I’m cautious about who I bring into my son’s life because I want to protect him. I’d have to be going out with someone for a year before I introduced them to Reg.”
The star is understandably protective of her only son – although Reggie’s desire for a sibling has led to some awkward conversations. “I have to explain to him that you’ve got to find the right man to give you their seed to have a baby sister and sometimes it can be a bit tricky,” she says. “He was like, ‘Yeah, but I love my girlfriend, we’re going to have a baby.’ He writes her love letters and wants to get her some roses. It’s bad when your five-year-old can hold down a relationship and you’re struggling! But right now, the only man in my life is my Reggie.”
Josie and Terry share co-parenting duties, a set-up that works extremely well given that she needs to be in London to film This Morning several days a week. “I’m in a fortunate position because for a lot of mums out there, the dads aren’t always there for their kids, but he is there 100%,” she says. “Terry has him two to three nights a week and then I’ll have him on the others. I would never have been able to do what I’ve done if it wasn’t for Terry.” On occasion, Reggie even travels to London’s White City district, where This Morning is based.
Josie says son Reggie is the only man she needs in her life right now (OK! Magazine/Chelsea White)Josie has clearly had a ball hosting the show alongside so many of TV’s favourite faces, from former T4 presenter Steve Jones and kids’ TV legend Andi Peters to ex-pop star Rochelle Humes. She describes Rochelle as “the sweetest human on Earth”, and jokes that Andi looks “younger now” than when she watched him on telly as a child.
“Dermot [O’Leary] is such a laugh and great with Reg when he comes on set,” she says. “Then there’s newbie Steve Jones. He is an absolute dream. We got on so well – he’s so easy and everyone speaks so highly of him. I’ve also worked with Vernon Kay and I loved him growing up, while Craig [Doyle] is hilarious.”
Her friendship with Holly Willoughby, who she describes as “sweet and funny”, has also blossomed in the wake of what has to be the most turbulent six months in This Morning’s history. In May, Josie and her close friend Alison Hammond suddenly found themselves at the helm.
But the shock presenting shake-up hasn’t fazed Josie. “I have the best job in the world,” she beams. “Holly and I have a great laugh together. The other day, she sent me a message and said, ‘This bloke has been asking after you, his name is Scott Chegg,’ and I said, ‘I’ve never heard of him, send me a picture.’ She sent me a picture of a scotch egg. I fell for it hook, line and sinker!”
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When asked to name their favourite co-presenter, most celebs would diplomatically bite their tongue. But that’s not Josie’s style. “Obviously my favourite is Alison Hammond. I love Al – she’s got such a special energy,” she says. “She is the kindest person on Earth. You could ring Al and after the phone call, you feel a million dollars. You’d never know if she was in a bad mood because she’s too busy trying to make you feel good.”
With Big Brother, the show that launched both her and Alison’s careers, due back on our screens next month, we’re keen to know whether Josie will be watching, misty-eyed, as remembers those crazy days. “Definitely!” she exclaims. “It’s where it all began for me and I am so happy it’s back.”
*This Morning airs every weekday on ITV from 10am
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