She’s just got back from what sounds like a blissful holiday in the sun. And, as Christine Lampard explains, she owes her happy but extremely busy family life to a chance encounter at the Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards.
The 43-year-old Loose Women star met husband, Frank Lampard, at the ceremony back in 1999. They were complete strangers then - now they’re happily married and raising children together.
As Christine explains: “We talk about it all the time! It was the beginning of a now 13-year relationship, almost seven years married and two children - all born out of going to Pride of Britain and being introduced that night.”
Speaking on Life Changing Stories - the Pride of Britain podcast, Christine reveals that she and Frank, 44, nearly didn’t make it to the awards at all. “It was October 6, 2009, the Grosvenor House Hotel,” she remembers.
“I was doing the One Show at the time and I was worried about coming in late but I thought, 'No, I am going to go’ then Frank decided last minute - so technically neither of us was meant to be there at all.
“It turned out our tables were beside one another…A couple of people claim they were the reason we met - Piers Morgan being at the top of the list because he was at the table with Frank and came over and said, ‘there’s someone I want to introduce you to’.
“We’d never met before. He claimed - his opening line - that he watched me on the One Show I said, ‘okay, give me one of the guests I’ve interviewed’ and he was able to tell me! We all mingled a bit and started to chat that night. He was heading off to Ukraine with England at the time.
“He called me on my way home which I thought was quite charming. Over the next ten days we spoke on the mobile loads.
“The next time we actually met was a couple of weeks later so by then I felt like I knew him, all about his family. We’d done a very old-fashioned courtship almost because we’d just spoken on the phone. It was lovely.”
Laughing, she says: “So we’re very grateful we went along that night or we might never have met It’s one of those dates, we always go, ‘that’s our anniversary’, it’s alongside all the milestones in our life, forever.”
Things have moved on a bit since then. After tying the knot in 2015, the Lampards now live in London with children, Patricia, three, Freddie, one and Frank’s daughters from his previous relationship, Luna, 16 and Isla, 14. Life sounds busy but good as the couple juggle work commitments - Frank is on Merseyside managing Everton and Christine is combining Loose Women spots and hosting Lorraine this summer - with family time
And as Christine explains, parenthood has changed everything. “I try and be chilled but it’s made me much more anxious,” she says.
“It’s created a form of health anxiety in me. Suddenly I think, ‘I can’t be ill because I’ve got to be here for you’. Before we went on holiday I went and got my moles checked!
“I have a constant worry just about them - if I could zip them up in a NASA spacesuit it would be wonderful. I’ve become THAT mum, I think, ‘you’re so precious, I’m here to protect you.
“It’s made me a planner - the list seems to get longer ever time. I’ve become a bit more anxious, a bit more stressed but it’s all for the love of them.”
Laughing she adds: “But we do have a lot of laughs, lots of giggles. We’re outdoorsy. That’s how I grew up in Northern Ireland so I like getting home to do that, we’re quite active.”
She recently told her Loose Women panellists it can be challenging, having a partner working away. So how does she manage all these demands on her time?
“I’m trying to have a good balance,” she says. Frank’s away and my family are back home so I have to be well-planned in what I do - I don’t want to be away from home.
“The beauty of live telly is you know when you’re finished. “I’m very lucky - I dip in and do my bits but I’m mostly at home, I just don’t want to be at home anymore. I know I’m lucky to be able to have that balance, you can feel like you’re pulling in all directions and that struggle’s real for so many people.”
Smiling again, she adds: “I just enjoy being mummy these days. I had children later in life, I really enjoyed myself up to now, I’ve done all my partying and I feel very grateful I have the chance to be with my children.”
It looks like there might be even more football to come for the Lampards too.
“Our little girl, according to Frank, has a great right foot,” Christine says. “She manages to kick the ball like it’s the most natural thing in the world, Frank’s really quite impressed with her.
“It could be another Lampard number 8 at some stage… We’ve discussed which country she’d play for…I’d be very happy with her in the green and white and Daddy wants her in the England colours so I’ll let her decide.”
For now it’s time to enjoy the summer and get ready to celebrate again at autumn’s Pride of Britain awards.
As Christine says: “There are very few nights like it. The emotion in the room on the night - I’ve never experienced anything like it.
“If you win it must be one of those amazing accolades in life. I feel very privileged and proud to have been part of it.”
Catch up with Christine’s full interview and all previous episodes in Life Changing Stories - the Pride of Britain podcast, available every Thursday on all streaming platforms.
