Carol Vorderman appeared on ITV's This Morning on Monday, January 23, talking to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby about her love life. And ahead of the slot, when Lorraine Kelly did her usual link from her show to This Morning and discovered Carol would be appearing to chat about her five 'special friends' she couldn't hide her feelings about it.
With a giggle, 63-year-old Lorraine quipped: "Who would have the energy for five [special friends]? Jesus!" Later on This Morning, Carol explained how she manages her relationships and why she has them - and viewers couldn't get enough of her "refreshing" modern take on love.
Responding to Lorraine's "energy" quip, Carol said she understood her reaction. "I understand that. Each to their own. I've only come on to talk about it really - I'm always private - because there was such reaction to it that I felt as though it's good to [talk] and there are an awful lot of people out there who live a life like I do, or who don't want a single partner and to live with them, who are shamed by society into not talking about it."
Read more: Carol Vorderman says she has five ‘special friends’ and they all know about each other
Carol first revealed her 'liberating' relationship status in October 2022 while appearing on a new match-making segment on This Morning with Gyles Brandreth. Now, she has opened up to Holly and Phil about how it works and told them she leads a very "full" and "happy" life.
The 62-year-old media star - who has known some of her 'special friends' for over a decade and says they all know about each other - said: "I think it's come about naturally. I don't want to settle with anybody. If my life was a cake, it's got fantastic friends, I love my job, I love the business of education, I have people who love me, I have this busy home. The male-female relationships are the icing on the cake, rather than the fundamental basis of it."
Her golden rule, however, is that they too have to be single although they may have other 'special friends' although she says: "I don't talk to them about it."
Before noting divorce statistics - citing that 40% of adults in the UK are single - she reflected on the shame around modern romantic relationships and how different society's rules were when she was young in the '60s and '70s.
Holly posed the question of whether she picks her favourite 'special friend' to spend the day with or if there is jealousy at all, saying: "I just don't know how that bit works."
Carol enlightened her and said: "No, it doesn't work like that. It starts with friendship and then there's an extra frisson, I would say." She says the relationships work as she's fiercely independent. "I have always been accused of being too independent in standard relationships. And I am independent. And maybe what I choose doesn't suit everyone but I think some version of it would suit a lot of people and does suit a lot of people. She added: "I understand that perhaps mine [special relationships] is perhaps at the extreme."
And while some may not understand this modern romantic stance, she reveals her children - 31-year-old Katie and 25-year-old Cameron - are happy with their mother's arrangement and are even friends with her companions. She added that she hopes that in future it won't even be a topic of conversation and urged people to find happiness.
"A lot of people say 'Are you looking for love?' but love can be a very unhappy place to be and, as we know I said about the statistics with divorce, isn't the goal just to be happy?"
Viewers were quick to voice their admiration for Carol. One viewer took to Twitter to say: "@carolvorders talking on @thismorning so true! We're 2022 let people choose what they want to do in love... independent woman here & proud! No fairytale life here! #thismorning #independent"
User @LadyBatchelot added: "@thismorning @carolvorders what a refreshing interview! I did the exact same after my divorce and I felt free and in control. Society wanted to call me a name but it was a fab time in my life."
@HelenAd52215654 also commented: "@thismorning @carolvorders my mum has had special friends for the last 23 years. she’s now 73 and loves being single and ready to mingle. As her daughter I think it’s fabulous" alongside @Jacobkrich who said: "@carolvorders Blown away by that amazing @thismorning interview. What a brilliantly refreshing and empowering thing you have done. Which hopefully liberates women to have the types of relationship that may haven’t been acceptable before. Strong, powerful women lead the way."
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10am.
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