Back in black: Lesley Joseph on style, dressing up and the long-awaited return of Dorien
Fabafterfifty: Celebrity Interviews
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Article by Fabafterfifty. Lesley Joseph may have thought she’d laid to rest the outrageous flirtations of Dorien Green, but the Birds of a Feather favourite is back, and arguably flightier than ever. Showbusiness is a strange animal. You’ll get some actors who are the absolute antithesis of their characters – step forward Pam St. Clement (that’s Pat in EastEnders, of course) who, away from the television cameras, delivers a flower of received pronunciation that’s never once been heard within a mile of Albert Square. In contrast, some actors appear to ‘become’ their character, or their character ‘becomes’ them… take anything involving Danny Dyer as a reference. Yet with Lesley Joseph the boundaries are ever so slightly blurred. Certainly, she talks with an excited rhythm, a pace and urgency that is every bit the echo of Chigwell’s finest, yet thankfully, when it comes to fashion, the 67-year-old is a rather more...
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Linda Barker talks about her early childhood memories
Article by Linda Barker “What was the most memorable experience from your childhood?” is a question that is often asked of us and I think that no matter what the answer is it is usually something which we did for the first time which pushed us into the unknown in some way and gave us our first adrenaline rush. It’s no surprise to me that it becomes an addictive feeling and something which a lot of us strive to recreate, or at least wish we did. While I am not exactly a stunt-woman or a Formula One driver, I still get that buzz from doing something new which challenges me – hence my trips into the jungle and leaping from 10 metre diving boards! I have to attribute this to growing up as part of a large family. There are five of us ‘Barker’ children and I was the middle...
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Interview with inspirational Jaki Graham on life after 50 and her journey from disco diva to jazz
Interview by Ceri Wheeldon From international success as a soul diva in the 80s with hits including ‘Round and Round’ and ‘What’s the Name of Your Game’ to singing Gershwin and Duke Ellington with big bands today , Jaki Graham is proof that you can have longevity and thriving career in the music business in your 50s. I caught up with Jaki to ask her about her life and philosophy. How did you approach your own 50th birthday? I didn’t even think about it! I thought of it as just another day and just another birthday. My family and friends made more of it than I did! My wedding anniversary is just a few days before my birthday, and we tend to celebrate that more, especially as we were celebrating 36 years of marriage! 36 years of marriage is quite an achievement today – and particularly rare in your industry....
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Getting on with the in-laws! Lulu offers her tips on becoming a mother-in-law
Article by Lulu. While every newly married couple is warned about nightmare mother-in-laws (we’ve all heard the jokes), something that is not mentioned is the sudden change in the balance of the family as a whole when one of your children gets married. As well as gaining a daughter or son, you are gaining a whole other family who will become part of yours for ever. Their advice will be just as important as yours and their role just as key. You will all attend the same ‘big’ events. You will love and care about the same people. And if you are lucky enough, you will become co-grandparents – and both be quite sure no-one has loved this grandchild quite like you! Hoping my son’s wife would like his mother When my son Jordan met Alanna, I was thrilled for him to have found such a loving, kind and beautiful...
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Shirlie Kemp talks about her artwork and Life after 50…
Interview by Ceri Wheeldon Shirlie Kemp talks to Fabafterfifty about her life and reinvention in her 50s. I fell in love with Shirlie’s artwork and asked so asked her to share with Fabafterfifty how her new career came about! Shirlie is no stranger to reinvention having had to change career track very early on. Known as being part of pop duo Pepsi and Shirlie, and Wham! surprisingly Shirlie didn’t set out to have a musical career – in fact Shirlie had wanted to work with horses and was training to be a riding instructor when at the age of 17 she developed terrible hayfever- putting an end to her equestrian dreams. But as one door closed another opened…as Shirlie explains: A change of career direction “ Just as was having to rethink what I could do for a living my two friends George (Michael) and Andrew (Ridgely) were just starting...
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3 lovely ladies Shirley-Anne Field, Anita Harris and Anne Charleston, all actresses and all enjoying life and their careers after 50
Article by Ceri Wheeldon Shirley-Anne Field, Anita Harris and Anne Charleston have been familiar faces on our TV screens and are now touring together as they appear on stage in The Cemetery Club. I caught up with all three ladies to ask them about how they have embraced the second half of their lives. All three have incredibly positive, but very different outlooks regarding life after 50. They talk about how their lives have been transformed since turning 50, from relocating half-way round the world , embracing the freedom of emptynesting and taking to the stage as an actress, three lovely, inspirational ladies share their thoughts and philosophy on life after 50. Shirley-Anne Field talks about her life after 50 How has life changed for you since turning 50? I found turning 50 quite liberating. As a mother, and breadwinner I had an overwhelming responsibility to manage my acting career while ensuring...
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Lulu shares her hair tips – we can all have fabulous hair over 50!
Article by Lulu For better or worse I seem to be known for my hair! I have always been fascinated by hair and when I was younger wanted to be a hairdresser – I would do my mother and sister’s hair for them on a Saturday night (whether they wanted me to or not!). I remember my mother’s comment when I married John Frieda . . .’FINALLY you have your very own hairdresser!’ I have to admit I am a little obsessed so I thought I would tackle some of the questions I get asked all the time . . How do you get hair to look full and bouncy? Well, it starts with a great cut. That’s essential. My hairdresser, Kevin Moss at John Frieda, gives me a cut that creates fullness and volume – he tweaks and nips and the cut is always sensational. Then it’s all about...
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“I must have been a disappointment to my parents” an interview with author Michele Hanson.
Article by Ceri Wheeldon ‘I realised as I was writing my book, what a disappointment I must have been to my parents’ said Michele Hanson when I interviewed her about her latest book, “What the Grown-Ups Were Doing, An Odyssey through 1950s Suburbia” a lovely memoir about growing up in a Jewish family in Ruislip in post-war Britain, when childhood was far more innocent and the absence of TV and computer games encouraged creativity and more playing outdoors, picking blackberries, skipping, playing 5 Stones and Jacks. Thwarting her elegant mother’s desire to dress her in ‘pretty frocks’, Michele was a tomboy preferring to dress in trousers – and who hated wearing shoes ( in part due to having large feet, the only choice other than men’s shoes appeared to be white patent leather, making her feet look even bigger!), preferring to play outside with her dog , pet mice and...
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Stephanie Beacham talks about her inspiration and life after 50
Interview by Ceri Wheeldon Stephanie Beacham talks about her life afer 50 and her plans for the future. How has your life and career progressed since turning 50? Ans: I lost both parents and I became head of my family so I guess you can say the buck stops with me now. I think that’s what they call being a grown-up. As for my career, parts have turned more fascinating. I’ve played Elizabeth I, Maria Callas, fashion tycoons and a couple of really nice people such as Martha in Coronation Street. Have you taken on any projects which have pushed you out of your comfort zone? Ans: I would never take on a project that didn’t. What was it like stepping into the long established series Coronation Street? Ans: An utter pleasure. I had an immediate calm friendship with Bill Roache (Ken Barlow) who played my love interest and who...
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Ian Waite from Strictly talks about How Zumba can Help Reshape our Midlife Bodies
Interview by Ceri Wheeldon As the Strictly competition progresses , we can all see the physical transformation of the female celebrity contestants. They all get fitter. Their waists get smaller, arms and shoulders are more toned and legs look longer and leaner. If only we could all achieve the same! Dancer Ian Waite who has been played a part in so many of these transformations on Strictly says dance can help anyone get fitter – without needing a ballroom dance partner! Ian runs Zumba and his new ‘Ballroom Breakout’ classes ( an exercise routine based on ballroom moves). I asked Ian why Zumba offers such strong fitness benefits. Why is Zumba such good exercise? Zumba uses muscles most people don’t target with other forms of exercise. It has a lot of ‘hip action’ so is great for the lower body and losing weight around the middle. It’s also great for...
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