What gets you out of bed in the morning?
“My alarm! I always like to set my alarm earlier than when I have to wake up as I hate bolting out of bed and jumping straight in the shower. I love about half an hour to wake up slowly so I can have my turmeric and ginger shot, and a jasmine tea.”
How do you like to move your body?
“My mum used to be a personal trainer so incorporating some kind of activity into my day – no matter how busy I am – has always been something I’ve done. When I’m brushing my teeth, for example, I’ll do squats or a wall sit to get me going or if I’m staying in a hotel for work, I’ll always take the stairs. When I’m off [work], my partner and I love to walk. We have a tradition on New Year’s Eve where we’ll walk a marathon around London basically, and it’s amazing. We’ll spend a whole day doing it and stop for a coffee if we’re going round the park or grab a sandwich and sit on a bench – it’s so rewarding.”
How important is it to be yourself with positive people?
“I’ve suffered with anxiety and depression in the past, so it’s really important for me to surround myself with people who are like-minded. I think that’s what’s so special about when Ben [Michelle’s partner] and I go walking, it’s an opportunity to really listen to one another without phones or other distractions. Walking in general really helps my wellbeing and brings my stress levels down, especially when I can be present listening to the birds or focusing on the trees.”
Do you manage to get much time to yourself?
“I never used to take time for myself but as I’ve got older, I’ve learnt how to be clever with my time, so when I’m away filming Crime Watch for example, I’ll incorporate different moments in my day that are just for me, like taking a pillow from home or a sleep spray so I’ll have a bit more of a routine at night. In the past I would’ve thought, I don’t have time for this, I need to prep my script, but those are moments for me to be present and mindful, which then enables me to have a more relaxing sleep. I liken it to diving into a swimming pool, holding your breath and only coming up for air when that period of work is finished, and when you come up for air, you’re gasping for breath. Whereas now, I’ll make sure that if I’m diving into that pool, I’ll come up to the surface every now and then; I’ll get a bit gulp of air and dive back down again, meaning I’ll perform better and feel like I can stay under for longer.”
What can you tell us about your new TV series?
“I can’t wait for this series to come out, it’s called Dirty Rotten Scammers. Myself and my mum sit down with someone who’s been a victim of fraud and find out what’s happened to them and get right to the heart of the story. Then we go on a bit of a journey to find out more about their online footprint and by speaking to professionals, we find out how they can protect themselves in future. On a personal level, it was really special to do this with my mum. My dad died a few years ago and he said we should do a series together, so when we wrapped on that last day, we just looked at each other and said, ‘we’ve done it!’.”
