TV legend, Anthea Turner has opened up about love, turning 65 and telly, during an exclusive chat with OK!, following a dreamy holiday to Sandals Regency La Toc in Saint Lucia with her fiancé Mark Armstrong, the 64-year-old presenter is visibly glowing as she admits that she and Mark will tie the knot ‘at some point’.
She is happier than ever today, but former Blue Peter presenter Anthea, who has been engaged to businessman Mark since 2019 – admits that her 2015 divorce from ex-husband Grant Bovey in 2015 after 15 years of marriage – after, in 2013, Grant was found to be having an affair with interior designer Zoe de Mallet Morgan – was ‘definitely’ her toughest moment.
“I remember once, I was on the floor sobbing, still in my pyjamas at 3pm. I’ll never forget, my mum said to me, “Right, get in the shower. Have a wash. Wash your hair. Put some make-up on, and then ring me back.” And I did. All of a sudden, it worked and she could have a proper conversation with me”, recalls the star.
“And of course, time heals all, and I ended up staying on good terms with both my ex-husbands [Anthea was also married to DJ Peter Powell from 1990 to 1998] and I even wrote a book How To Survive Divorce , which has stood the test of time..”
Of course, Anthea also gained three stepdaughters through her relationship with Grant- and admits they are still very close, as she opens up about the joys of becoming a “glam-ma” to stepdaughter Claudia’s baby Dexter. “It’s wonderful. Claudia, my stepdaughter, is the happiest I’ve ever seen her. She’s an amazing mum and it’s a joy to watch her with James, her partner. It’s really lovely seeing someone you love so happy.”
Opening up on her relationship with her new grown-up stepchildren, Anthea reveals fondly: “They’ve been in my life since they were two, five, and six. When their father, my ex-husband Grant, and I split up, I must admit, I thought, “Oh gosh…” because you just don’t know what will happen when a relationship ends.
“But with the girls and me, nothing changed. Claudia actually lived with me for some time, after flat-sharing with friends. It’s a wonderful relationship – especially considering it’s not an umbilical cord one. Nobody’s forcing us, we’re in each other’s lives because we truly like each other.”
As for finding love again later in life, Anthea admits, she’s always known that she’d find someone else. “I’m a Gemini, so I’m always optimistic. I always knew that at some point, I’d meet somebody else. But obviously, you don’t know when, who. And it’s daunting, if you’re in your fifties and all of a sudden, whatever you thought your future was, suddenly disappears.
“It depends what stage in your life things happen. I think the older you get, that natural optimism isn’t there in the same way. But for me, I’ve always had a younger attitude. The elixir of youth isn’t in a pot of cream. It’s in your attitude.”
Anthea and Mark stayed at Sandals Regency La Toc, SaintLucia, see sandals.co.uk, and they enjoyed a sunset cruisewith Jus Sail Home, see jussail.com.
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